


she's cold as ice

by veLEvet



Category: EXID (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Alternate Universe - Olympics, Childhood Friends, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Reunions, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-04-04 11:16:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 95,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14019096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veLEvet/pseuds/veLEvet
Summary: Jeonghwa is the captain of the 2018 Olympic women's hockey team. LE, or Ahn Hyojin, is a rising star set to perform a headliner concert at the Olympics. Before their lives overlapped in Pyeongchang, their lives had crossed once before, unbeknownst to them at first. Featuring Hyelin, Solji, and Hani as Korea's curling sweethearts (and hot messes), and Jeon Jiyoon as Jeonghwa's alternate captain.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> i changed all the rules to women's hockey so that they can fight and bodycheck each other. you can thank me later. very americanized version of high school. also i know nothing of sports.
> 
> based off of the real life story of one of red velvet's wendy's high school friends finding her at the olympics and reconnecting over twitter, but gayer.
> 
> i may add dasoni but we shall see
> 
> enjoy :)

The cold air on her skin sent a new wave of energy through her.

On her way out of a meeting with her coach, she made her way down the chilly halls towards the locker room. She could hear commotion out in the rink; spectators must already be making their way in. She needed to hurry. She was only halfway through changing before she got called in with the coach, so she was just in a tank top and her hockey jill.

Suddenly she heard her phone ringing, and she answered it after a second's pause. It was surprising she was getting reception in the rink… But then again, on a stage as grand as the one she was about to enter, she supposed that for the spectators' convenience, there would be excellent service.

"Haha, I didn't expect you to call me so early, Hani. I thought you'd still be sleeping."

"Yah, Jeonghwa..." Hani groaned on the other line, "It's noon!"

"Your point?" Jeonghwa grinned to herself.

"Pfft, shut up.." Hani let out a huff, but soon her voice turned excited, "You have a match today, don't you?"

"Yup! In an hour. I just got out of a meeting with my coach."

"You have all those responsibilities now as captain, yeah? Hah, I guess you got an image to maintain this whole trip.."

"Yeah, you're right. It is a lot more work than I'm used to." Jeonghwa sighed, but she didn't let that get the best of her for long, "Don't worry, because I know you are. I'll still squeeze in time for fun too!"

"You know, Jeonghwa… You shouldn't have taken up the position if it wasn't up your alley."

Jeonghwa pursed her lips. "I know that. It's not like I asked to be nominated by everyone… I guess I was the one who didn't want it the least, though. And, if it means that everyone's on the ice with one less burden on their shoulders, then I'll take it." She let out a small laugh, "Besides, isn't that 'C' on my uniform super cool?"

Hani laughed at that too. "I guess so. Good luck on your match! I'm sorry we couldn't make it. We, uh… really need the practice. We didn't get to any last night."

"Heh, I figured." Jeonghwa laughed to herself, leaning against one of the walls. "And I'm not too worried about the match. It's just a preliminary match, and we already secured our spot in the playoffs seed. I guess being the host country does have its perks…"

"Same, we're already seeded too." Hani let out an uneasy sigh, "We just have to, you know, practice so we don't fuck it up."

"You also have a prelims match tonight, right? Hey, I'll come over as soon as I'm done here. I'll be sure to watch!"

"If you wanna, I won't stop you! Just… don't distract us too much as we practice."

"Hah, I know you need it. I'll try my best!"

"And hey! Remember that we're going to the concert Monday night!"

Jeonghwa drew in a heavy inhale, opening her mouth but not quite finding the words to speak. "Uh… Yeah. Whose concert was that again…?"

"The headliner concert, remember?! With that rapper LE?! Ahh, she's so cool… We all wanna go!" Jeonghwa could sense Hani's excitement over the line by her voice.

"I got a match Tuesday afternoon."

"A preliminary match."

"It's important momentum." Jeonghwa protested, "If we win, that puts us in a good position in morale for the playoffs on Thursday."

"Ah, spoken like a true captain!" Hani laughed, "Well, just think about it. I promise you, she's so good that it'll be worth it! But… I won't hold you up any longer. Kick ass at that match, Jeonghwa! Check a few of those Swedish gals into the wall for me."

Jeonghwa let herself laugh at that. "Don't have to tell me twice. I'll text you when I'm on my way!"

"Catch you later, Hot Body!"

"See ya!"

Jeonghwa ended the call and smiled to herself briefly before the realization dawned on her that she still had a match to play and she wasn't even dressed yet. Her eyes shot wide and she bolted back to the locker rooms, seeing how the rest of her team was already dressed and ready to go, and she was not even close to being ready.

"There you are!" The alternate captain- Jiyoon -said, "We thought you bailed on us!"

"Not in a million years." Jeonghwa forced a smile, "Sorry! The meeting with Coach ran over…"

Jeonghwa opened her locker and pulled out her gear. She grabbed a hair tie and began to pull her hair up, turning to the rest of the girls.

"Okay, guys!" Jeonghwa's excitement shone in her voice. "Gather around!"

Jiyoon tilted her head, crossing her arms and leaning against her hockey stick. "Don't you wanna get dressed first before the pre-game pep talk, Cap?"

"No time for that. I can multitask!" Jeonghwa said as she put her undershirt on.

The other players all gathered in a circle near Jeonghwa's lockers, waiting to hear their captain speak.

Suddenly Jeonghwa paused after she threw her gear on, and she turned her back to Jiyoon and pointed with her thumb at the fasteners in the back. "...Actually, could you give me a hand?"

Jiyoon nodded and started to tighten the gear around Jeonghwa's torso.

"Thanks." Jeonghwa breathed easily, "Alright, ladies. How are we feeling?"

Jeonghwa's response was a few nods and some nonchalant "good"s.

"This is our first match. It's important that we start off strong. We have a country to represent, after all! We need to show the world what South Korea is made of!"

The reaction this time was more vocal, with everyone voicing their agreement in some manner.

"Never before has a Korean team qualified to play in the women's tournament. We got in this time around because we're the hosts. Now, we're not going to take that for granted, are we?! We have to show everyone that we deserve to be here just as much as the other countries!"

Now she was beginning to get enthusiastic shouts from the rest of the players. All Jeonghwa had left to do after gearing up was to tie up her skates, which she did on the bench in front of her.

"This match might not be a playoff match, but it's still important that we leave everything we've got on the ice, alright ladies?!" Jeonghwa picked up her hockey stick and jutted out her chin towards the locker room exit. "Now, go out there and show those Swedes what we've got!"

Everyone shouted and cheered as they poured out of the locker room. Jeonghwa was one of the last ones to file out, since she wanted to make sure everyone else was coming along. Before she could get too far out, she was stopped.

"Yah, Captain!"

Jeonghwa turned around, and immediately she felt something push her head down, though it wasn't too harsh. She had closed her eyes in a flinch, and she opened her eyes to see black gratings slightly blocking her vision.

"You forgot your helmet." Jiyoon smiled with a smug air to herself.

Jeonghwa couldn't help but laugh once she recognized the black guards of her helmet. "Ah… Thank you. You're a lifesaver!"

Jiyoon just nodded. "Stay open out there. I'm gonna be counting on you to take shots on goal. I'll be sending the puck your way the most." She gave Jeonghwa a slap on the back and walked off.

"Right!" Jeonghwa nodded.

Before she knew it, Jeonghwa was already out on the ice, doing warm-ups with the rest of her team. They skated around their half of the ice, practicing passing and taking shots on goal. After a few tries, Jeonghwa pulled away from the pack and drifted towards the center of the ice.

Right in front of her, beneath her skates, Jeonghwa could see the five large, colorful rings stained on the ice. She looked upwards at the crowds starting to fill in the stadium. The whole place was huge. She had never played in a stadium so large before.

Jeonghwa let out a calming breath as she glanced around.

The Olympics were everything she could've dreamed of, and more.

* * *

Hearing the final note of the song fade away, she let her pose drop, no longer caring about her expression. Her breathing was quick and heavy from exhaustion, yet she knew that she couldn't stop there.

"Get the music ready to start again from 'Velvet'.." She said, voice hoarse from her lack of breath.

One of her dancers nodded and went towards the speakers. "Right away."

She could feel the sweat gathering on her forehead, beginning to trickle down her temples. She wiped the sweat off her brow and pushed her hair back, exhaling heavily. She had to get it perfect, which was why she was putting so many extra hours practicing in. This was one of the highest moments in her career, after all. At the very least, she wanted to run through the last half of her show one more time that night…

"Perhaps it would be best to call it a night." Her instructor said, "We've been at this for many hours. I think all of us could use the break, LE."

LE's gaze shot up from the ground, landing on her instructor, "At this rate, we'll only have tomorrow to practice the full set." She protested.

"We've practiced each half quite a few times. Please, don't overexert yourself. The last thing we need is to have you or any of your dancers hurt just days before the show."

LE was silent for a few moments after, biting down on her lower lip. Suddenly, she spoke up again, "You're right." She mumbled before turning to her dancers, "We're finished for the night. Please rest for tonight and return tomorrow at 10 to continue. Thank you." She bowed her head, watching the dancers bow and say thanks themselves before beginning to file out.

When most of her dancers had already left, LE walked over to her bag and pulled out her laptop. She plugged her laptop into the speakers and pulled up her setlist. The brightness of her screen reflected off of her face since the dance room was dark, illuminating her focused features.

Her instructor stopped at the door, seeing how LE was still staying inside. "I thought you said we were finished here?"

"I said ' _we'_  were finished." LE said, eyes unwavering from her laptop screen, "I never said that  _I_  was."

Her instructor could only nod, not wanting to fight any further. He simply left the room after that, leaving LE alone inside.

Once she was alone, LE pulled up the first song in her setlist and pressed play. She took a few steps away from her laptop and faced the mirror, drawing in a large breath in anticipation.

She carried her body through the rhythm, pushing through it even if she felt so exhausted she might collapse.

* * *

Jeonghwa felt refreshed after a nice shower and a change of clothes. She walked through one of the practice complexes, periodically checking her phone to make sure she was heading to the right place. Again she could feel the chill of the ice even in the halls. It brought a smile to her face and a spring to her step as she walked through the complex.

She arrived at a particular practice rink and walked inside. Jeonghwa could recognize the loud shouts that filled the room as soon as she walked in. Her smile grew wider; it seemed as if Hani was getting good practice in after all.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Hani's shouts echoed across the practice rink. She had just delivered a stone, so she was watching its trajectory from the hog line, knees pulled to her chest. That left Solji and Hyelin to sweeping.

As the stone came to rest in the red zone, Solji pulled up her broom and shook her head, muttering to herself. "The entire practice complex must be able to hear her…"

Hyelin just shot Solji a weak smile. Part of her knew not to push it too much because she did the exact same thing as Hani sometimes, and Solji would call her out for it.

Jeonghwa walked along the ice, passing Solji and Hyelin on the way. "Woo! Clean that ice!"

Hyelin glanced over at the new voice, immediately smiling when recognizing Jeonghwa. She slid over to the bank, throwing her arms around Jeonghwa in a hug.

"Hani said you might be coming. I'm glad you made it!" Hyelin said, pulling away from the hug, "You're here just in time- we just started another end and our  _lead_ ," she side-eyed Hani, "still has another rock to deliver. You get to see it all."

Jeonghwa laughed at the bitterness in Hyelin's voice because of Hani's rather unique way of giving instructions in play. "Good! That's always my favorite part."

Hani skated up to the bank, completely oblivious to how Hyelin and Jeonghwa were talking about her. "How'd that match go?"

"1-0." Jeonghwa said with a wide smile.

"You were the zero?" Hani quirked an eyebrow with a devious look on her face.

Jeonghwa shook her head. "We were the one, thanks."

"That's great, Jeonghwa!" Solji had skated up beside Hyelin as Hani spoke. "Who scored?"

"Our left-forward." Jeonghwa smiled uneasily and scratched her neck, "I had the most shots on goal though… Didn't work out like Jiyoon and I planned, but hey, I won't complain. A win's a win!"

"With us, Hani claims credit for all our wins but none of her stones ever score." Hyelin smiled and tilted her head, paying Hani no heed at all.

Hani mutually ignored Hyelin. "Did you body check some of those Swedish girls?"

Solji stifled a laugh at that. "I know Hani would've checked some bodies if she were there…" Hyelin snickered along and nudged Solji for that comment.

Jeonghwa nodded, "Of course!"

"Did you get into any fights?" Hyelin asked with too much excitement for such a topic.

"I almost got dragged into one." Jeonghwa shook her head, recalling the moment, "Jiyoon kept telling me to go after some girls who kept doing illegal checks but… That's not really behavior fit for a captain."

"Illegal checks? And they didn't get called on it?" Solji mused, tilting her head.

Jeonghwa just nodded, "Mm. It was strange."

Hani cracked a smile and looked at Hyelin. "Could you imagine if there were fights in curling? Imagine trying to fight someone with these brooms." She laughed under her breath, winding her broom back like it was a baseball bat.

"Hani, don't be ridiculous." Solji crossed her arms. Hani looked ready to backtrack on her words and apologize, but Solji cut her off, "Obviously you throw one of the stones at someone, not use these silly brooms."

"When curling becomes discus." Hyelin snickered quietly.

Jeonghwa wanted nothing more than to continue messing around with everyone, but she knew that she couldn't hold them up any longer in their practice. "Hey, don't let me distract you guys. You really need to practice!"

Solji let out a sigh and glanced at the ground. "Yeah… We were supposed to practice last night, but that never happened…" She pursed her lips. She couldn't be too mad about it, because she was just as guilty as the other two.

"On a completely related note, we found this amazing club just a few miles away from the Olympic Village. One night, we should all go!" Hyelin smiled, perking up at the thought.

"Yeah!" Jeonghwa smiled widely, "Maybe later in the week! But focus on your match first! Show everyone what you've got!"

"Speaking of which…" Solji turned to Hani and placed her hands on Hani's cheeks, much to Hani's surprise. "Please don't make a fool of yourself during the round-robin match tonight. We have a reputation."

Hani tried to act innocent and calm under such circumstances but the only response she could choke out was, "What reputation?"

Solji just let out a sad sigh, drifting her hands down Hani's face before pulling away. "Not a day goes by where I don't consider kicking you off this team…"

"Wha- hey!" Hani puffed out her cheeks and stomped her foot, watching Solji skate away, "I deserve to be here just as much as you guys do!"

Solji was already halfway across the ice by that point, and she glanced over her shoulder at Hani with a mischievous look on her face. "I bet Jeonghwa could play better than you, Hani."

Hani pursed her lips, not willing to stand for such an insult. She skated down to the hack and readied a stone, defiant to prove Solji wrong. A look at the house told her that there were two yellow stones on the outer rings, and two red stones in the inside. She was playing a red stone, so she had to eliminate those yellow ones.

As soon as she delivered the stone off the hack, Hani stood up and watched the stone's trajectory, highly cognizant of how she carried herself during the exchange.

"Off, off!" Hani instructed. The stone was drifting to her left, but the trajectory looked to be on track.

Solji and Hyelin had their brooms at the ready, sending glances between each other, the stone, and Hani, trying to figure out what was going on. Hani was still telling them to stay off, so they didn't do anything. They could only watch as the thrown stone hit the yellow stone, rebounded to the right and into the target, hit two of the red stones in the middle, and caused one of those hit red stones to knock the other yellow stone out of the house. That was three red stones, all in play and all on the board.

Hani rested her elbow on her broom and smirked at Solji, "What was that again? Jeonghwa could play better than  _that_?"

Solji grinned back as she drifted over towards the hack and towards Hani, "I hope you don't exhaust your trick shots during practice just to impress me."

"I still have a few up my sleeve." Hani tilted her head.

"Then you can stay on the team." Solji paused, smile widening, "For now."

Hyelin just looked at the house and shook her head. "Great, what am I supposed to do now?  _My_ specialty is supposed to be knockouts!"

"I guess my specialty is everything, then." Hani teased.

Hyelin narrowed her eyes. "Your specialty is being a bitch."

Jeonghwa burst out into high-pitched laughter, clutching her stomach. The sight of Hani's offended expression didn't help Jeonghwa control herself at all.

When Jeonghwa's laughter finally died down, she situated herself in a seat beside the ice, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. She watched as her friends went back and forth with the stones with a large smile on her face.

The Olympics really were a special place.

* * *

_Jeonghwa pursed her lips and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair in the office with her guidance counselor. She had been pulled out of class, and while normally she would have celebrated that, being told that the schedule she chose for her junior year was unacceptable really put a dent in her mood._

" _I don't see what the problem is." Jeonghwa said pointedly, obviously very offended that she had to be called in for this._

" _Jeonghwa." Her guidance counselor said, "You gave yourself four study halls."_

" _Yeah. I gotta study."_

"Jeonghwa _." He gave her a stern look, "We have to reduce it to two at the very most."_

_Jeonghwa let out a sigh and shook her head. "I can't give myself too hard of a year. I have hockey to worry about. I can't overload on both and risk doing badly in both."_

" _I understand that. Why don't we try looking at a few classes that aren't very taxing for you to take?"_

" _Fine…" Jeonghwa sighed again, "What all is there?"_

" _There's a finance class that I think you'd appreciate. Mostly seniors take it, but with your grades, I'm sure an argument can be made for you to enroll regardless." He said._

" _Finance?" Jeonghwa looked concerned._

" _It's not what you think. It's a simple class. The hardest thing about the class I've heard from students is them procrastinating on the online modules and having to cram them in the night before they're due." He even smiled to assuage her._

_Jeonghwa nodded slowly, not having any other option. "Okay… That's one more class. What else?"_

" _Well, that's where it gets a bit difficult. There's a university-level class taught here-"_

" _No."_

" _...Thought so." He sighed, "All that's left is choir or band."_

_Jeonghwa winced at the thought of either option. At least with choir, she could simply lipsync and not have to buy some ungodly expensive instrument. Besides, she wasn't entirely tone-deaf, so choir was more plausible. It was the lesser of two evils, sadly…_

" _Choir." Jeonghwa said, "I'll do choir._ But-"  _Jeonghwa leaned forward, "I'm keeping those two study halls."_

" _Of course. Thank you for your cooperation."_

_The slight sarcasm to his voice wasn't lost on Jeonghwa, and she gathered her things and left his office with a heavy sigh._

_Junior year was gonna suck._

* * *

_Finding her way through the music and arts section of the school was more confusing than she originally had thought. She was far more familiar with the gymnasium and fitness center side to the school than the arts side. Because of her confusion, Jeonghwa showed up later to her choir class than she would have liked. She wasn't completely late though, and the teacher wasn't yet there. However, most of the seats were already taken, and everyone in choir seemed to have their own clique already._

_Jeonghwa puffed out her cheeks and sagged her shoulders, glancing around the room for an empty seat. She could only find one, situated in the back corner, and even then, that seat had someone's backpack on it. She glanced at the person sitting in the seat next to it and felt her heart sink. She heard about that ombré hair and pretty face in the legends._

_Senior Ahn Hyojin. One of the most gorgeous girls in the whole school, but one of the girls with the worst attitudes. Nearly everywhere she went, she could be seen writing in a leather-bound notebook or scowling at whoever talked to her. Many men have tried to ask her out, but have been humiliated in the process. She kept to herself, and everyone knew to keep to themselves around her too._

_Well, Jeonghwa was screwed. Even she knew she could be excitable to the point of irritation at times. She was going to get murdered if she sat next to Hyojin._

_But… if she got murdered then she wouldn't have to take that stupid choir class…_

_Jeonghwa drew in a steeling breath and approached Hyojin._

_Hyojin's gaze flickered up for the briefest of moments at the approaching figure before glancing back down at her notebook. That fleeting moment of eye contact made Jeonghwa's chest constrict; she could feel the daggers in Hyojin's eyes just from that mere second of looking at them._

_Jeonghwa plastered on her nicest smile and tried her best not to be her regular annoying self when she got close. She pointed at the seat next to Hyojin that presumably had her bag on it- actually, no, Jeonghwa could tell since it was just a purse, and Hyojin seemed like the type of senior who wouldn't show up to school with a proper bag because she truly didn't care._

" _Ah, sorry, but is someone sitting here?" Jeonghwa asked, internally screaming on the inside with every passing moment._

_Hyojin looked at Jeonghwa then at the seat, then back to Jeonghwa. She sized Jeonghwa up with her eyes, seemingly debating to herself whether or not to give the seat up. Soon she shook her head and grabbed her purse, moving it towards her feet instead. "No. It's all yours."_

_Jeonghwa smiled widely despite herself, but she just narrowly avoided death, so she was very, very happy at that moment. "Thank you!"_

_Hyojin merely looked at Jeonghwa again, watching as she sat down before returning to her notebook._

_Jeonghwa let out a sigh of relief and got situated in the chair. She looked around, and soon her gaze fell again on Hyojin. Hyojin was absorbed in writing whatever it was in her book, so she didn't notice. Jeonghwa pursed her lips and tilted her head in thought._

_Hyojin wasn't too scary…_

_Or maybe Jeonghwa just got off lucky._


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahn Hyojin, the unfriendable.

_Before the end of her first week of school, Hyojin had already willingly started a conversation with Jeonghwa. It wasn't exactly the most pleasant of conversations, but the fact it even happened stunned Jeonghwa completely._

_It turns out that the people in choir stuck to the same seats every time, so Jeonghwa was next to Hyojin forever, so it seemed. Everyday, Jeonghwa would arrive to choir a bit later than Hyojin, and as soon as Jeonghwa stepped into the classroom, she caught Hyojin removing her bag from the chair next to her. It was small and basic common decency, but Jeonghwa felt victorious every time she saw it. They wouldn't talk at all though, and Jeonghwa wasn't brave enough to test her luck to start conversation. No, Hyojin broke that ice first._

" _You're new." Hyojin said suddenly one day before class. She didn't even look up from her notebook as she said it._

_Jeonghwa blinked as if she imagined that voice. It wasn't until Hyojin looked up at with a strange expression wondering why she didn't get a response that Jeonghwa realized she didn't dream it._

" _Oh, uh… Yeah, sorta." Jeonghwa said, "I mean, I've gone to school here for practically my whole life, but this is my first time in choir."_

" _Mm." Hyojin went back to writing in her notebook, "It's obvious by the way you carry a tune." Jeonghwa flinched. "It's very unrefined."_

" _Ah, well…" Jeonghwa winced, frowning, "Everyone's gotta start somewhere…"_

" _So why do it?" Hyojin asked, though her tone proved doubtful that she even cared about the answer. It seemed like she just wanted to get under Jeonghwa's skin._

_Jeonghwa pursed her lips. She could acknowledge that her singing wasn't great, but this all felt really insulting. "...They wouldn't let me take four study halls."_

_Hyojin looked at Jeonghwa because of that answer, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What?"_

" _My guidance counselor." Jeonghwa explained, "He said I couldn't have four study halls, so he made me add classes to my schedule for this year. It was either this, or university-level statistics. I obviously chose the lesser of two evils."_

_Hyojin blinked a few times. Between the blunt honesty and the nature of Jeonghwa's answer, she didn't receive the response she was expecting. Her expression softened slightly, and she turned away again. "...Mm. You're right. You dodged a bullet. That class is hell."_

_Jeonghwa flashed a small smile. "Yeah. So now I'm here."_

" _Though…" Hyojin's rough tone soon resurfaced, "What girl is stupid enough to request four study halls when she knows it's impossible?"_

_Jeonghwa's smile vanished. There went her progress. "...An athlete who didn't want to overwork herself, that's who."_

_Hyojin shook her head and smirked to herself. "That explains it."_

_With that comment, Jeonghwa turned away from Hyojin and sighed. It seemed as if she was just going to be one of Hyojin's victims for the whole year. She winced at the thought of Hyojin tormenting her twice in one day too, since they had the same study hall last period._

* * *

Jeonghwa was jamming to the DJ's mix in the curling stadium complex as the teams were getting ready for the start to their matches. She was waving around her miniature flags as she danced in her seat, a silly smile on her face. There was a point to the song where there was a dab in the choreography, and everyone in the stadium all dabbed at the same time. Jeonghwa could see Solji, Hyelin, and Hani all simultaneously dabbing while in the middle of a strategy meeting, and she smiled to herself. They were certainly South Korea's Curling Sweethearts.

Solji, Hyelin, and Hani all high-fived and called off the strategy meeting, and Jeonghwa could see how their gazes searched the crowd for a moment. Jeonghwa smiled widely and waved her arms to grab their attention, and when she did, she made a huge heart with her arms. The three of them all waved excitedly back, with Hyelin giving a heart with her arms too, Hani giving finger hearts, and Solji making one with her hands.

Jeonghwa laughed to herself. She probably looked ridiculous, decked out in as much Team South Korea gear as possible and being so excitable, but she didn't care. It was her friends' first match in the Olympics. Not everyone gets an opportunity like that, so she was gonna celebrate it like her friends deserved.

The song playing throughout the stadium faded out and the players from each team walked forward and shook each others' hands. Team Heo, named after their captain Solji, was up against the Canadian team. Their first opponents were already difficult ones, but they weren't ones to back down from a challenge.

Hani would be throwing the first stone since Team Heo lost the coin toss. She drifted down to the hack, and Solji passed her on her way to the target.

"We're counting on you." Solji said, gliding down the ice. It didn't even seem like she spared a glance over at Hani.

Hani looked up after she grabbed a stone, watching as Solji drifted by. She nodded to herself before drawing in a large breath. She got settled at the hack, placing her foot on it and watching Solji place her broom on a certain part of the ice.

"Guard, top-center." Solji said, keeping her broom fixed on the spot.

Hani nodded. After a moment's pause, she pushed herself and the stone off the hack and glided across the ice before she let go of the stone, giving it a slight spin.

She could tell by the time it took the stone to cross the delivery line that the ice was going to be an obstacle. The stone drifted across the ice slower than it should have, so that meant Solji and Hyelin had to put in extra work in the scrubbing to try and extend the stone's reach as much as possible. The stone didn't reach the target at all, but instead hovered a foot or two ahead of the target. At least it was still centered.

When Hani joined Hyelin on the sidelines for the other team to shoot, she pursed her lips and rested her arms on top of her broom.

"Slow ice." Hani muttered, "That's gonna be a problem."

"You're telling me…" Hyelin let out a shaky breath. Her breathing was heavy after exerting herself so much on the sweeping. "If I'm going to have to sweep like this for the rest of the match, my arms are going to fall off."

"Mmm…" Hani sighed, "Solji always shoots soft too, so we're gonna be done for with the last two stones of this end."

"I don't want to think about that." Hyelin closed her eyes and shook her head, "I always dread those last two stones…"

"Our accuracy rankings are gonna be toast after this match with ice like this."

"If I dip below the 90% range after this, I'm going to be  _so_ mad."

"If I dip below the  _80%_  range, I'm absolutely done for." Hani whined.

Hyelin sighed. "What a great opening match."

"You said it…"

"Would you two stop being so dramatic?" Solji huffed as she skated over to them after the other team shot their stone. "We're literally only two stones in and you guys act like the match is already lost."

Hyelin only shrugged and walked back onto the ice to prepare for the next throw. Hani stayed behind and just let out a sigh, averting her gaze to the ground.

Solji noticed this and tilted her head in concern. "Is everything okay?"

Hani clenched her jaw and forced herself to nod. "Yeah. Everything's fine." Though, she wasn't very convincing.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" Solji flashed a smile, reaching out and placing her hand on Hani's shoulder. "I get it. We've never played a game so important before. Just remember… This isn't a playoff game. We don't need to be perfect. Don't beat yourself up too much, alright? You'll do great."

Hani smiled weakly and dropped her gaze to the ground again. "Heh… Thanks, skip."

"No problem." Solji squeezed Hani's shoulder once before letting go, "Alright, let's get ready."

Hyelin tilted her head at the other two, pointing to the target on the opposite side of the ice. "Are you two done? Hani, you gotta aim for our guard and throw that stone as hard as you can. This stone'll replace our guard, then our guard will knock out their stone and take the center of the button. They lined it up perfectly."

Solji blinked a few times as she walked onto the ice. "Hey, calling the shots is supposed to be  _my_ specialty." She joked lightly, flashing a smile, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, since no one else was doing it…" Hyelin placed a hand on her hip, "I did it for you. It's like you forget I took over as skip when you got sick… I know what I'm doing."

"I'm sure you do." Solji turned to Hani, "Got that?"

"Knockout. Got it." Hani nodded, moving to pick up another stone.

Meanwhile, the Canadian team was watching Team Heo curiously.

"Do you have any idea what they're saying?" The one girl, a non-Korean speaker, said.

The other girl shook her head. "Nope, but they seem to already be having a heated debate despite it only being the second stone… Looks like they take every shot seriously. We have to be careful."

"You're right. They do have a rather interesting way of strategizing…"

"Not as weird as the American men's team."

"Hah, you said it."

Jeonghwa simply watched everything from her spot up in the stands. Truth be told, she understood very little about curling, but she always showed up to support her friends. However, she would admit it was a bit boring waiting for stuff to actually happen, since a lot of curling is strategizing.

It wasn't until she heard the loud sounds of stones crashing together that she snapped from her reverie and instinctively shouted, "Woo! Go Team Heo!"

It was gonna be a long match.

* * *

_Jeonghwa had just left her coach's office. She had scheduled the meeting during her last period study hall, so she had missed the first fifteen minutes of class. It was a simple checkup about her grades and her eligibility to play in the upcoming season, and everything looked fine, so Jeonghwa was completely set for her first varsity season. They might even accommodate her request for a certain jersey number…_

_Unbeknownst to her, she had missed a lot in those fifteen minutes._

" _Hey, Hyojin…" Some guy, Sunho, had slid into the seat to the desk in front of her. Normally Jeonghwa sat in that seat, but since she was gone, it was open for anyone to use. "Are you busy this Saturday night?"_

" _Yeah, fortunately." Hyojin said, eyes unwavering from her notebook._

" _Come on, I can take you to a nice sports game and treat you afterwards. It'll be fun."_

" _Sounds terrible. Thank goodness I'm busy." Hyojin muttered._

_Sunho was starting to get irritated by her rejections, and he leaned forward onto Hyojin's desk. Jeonghwa had just walked in at this point and had presented the teacher with her tardy excuse. She was standing near her seat, wondering if she was ever gonna get it back._

" _What could possibly be more important than a night out with me?"_

" _Just about everything." Hyojin let out a heavy sigh as she spoke, "You see, Saturday night, I have a very busy night of just not giving a fuck about guys like you."_

_Jeonghwa smiled at that response, though Sunho's reaction was not as positive._

" _God, why do you have to be such an entitled bitch all the time?" He growled, standing up, "You can't even be nice one goddamn time in your life, not even to some nice guy like me!"_

_Hyojin finally looked up from her book, staring at Sunho with a dull, uninterested expression. "You done? It's getting hard to breathe because of that disgusting musk of yours, so you leaving would be fantastic. I can finally get back to my work with you gone, too."_

" _All you do is write in that damn book of yours anyways. What are you even writing about? Are they love letters to a boyfriend, or something? Is that why you won't go out with me? Because you're drooling over some other guy?"_

_Hyojin slammed her book shut and set it and her pen down on another desk, standing up to face Sunho. Even though she was a good half-foot shorter than him, she stepped towards him and shoved his chest, a furious look on her face. "What'd you say, huh? You wanna say that again?"_

_When Sunho started stepping closer to Hyojin, Jeonghwa couldn't stand by anymore and watch. She slid in between the two of them and pushed Sunho back some, stepping back to guard Hyojin. Hyojin merely just crossed her arms behind Jeonghwa, tilting her head provocatively at the guy._

" _Hey, hey! Watch it, Sunho." Jeonghwa said, one of her arms instinctively stretched out in front of Hyojin._

" _You know this guy?" Hyojin asked, gesturing to Sunho, "You need better taste in friends."_

" _He's on the men's hockey team. We're not friends." Jeonghwa said in a low voice._

" _Hey, move it, Jeonghwa! I was just about to show Hyojin a piece of my mind!" Sunho growled._

" _Don't waste your time on someone like her." Jeonghwa almost glared over her shoulder at Hyojin as she said that. "The coach was looking for you anyway. It's about your grades. And knowing you… It can't be good." She grinned to herself._

_Sunho clenched his jaw and shook his head. He left the room without another word._

_Jeonghwa smiled proudly after diffusing that situation, placing her hands on her hips. She then remembered Hyojin, and she turned around to check up on her._

" _Hey, Hyojin. Are you okay?" Jeonghwa's voice trailed off halfway through that sentence. She saw how Hyojin had already grabbed her bag and was talking with the teacher._

" _Can I go to the library?" Hyojin grumbled._

_The teacher nodded. "Just forge my signature in your passbook."_

_Hyojin shrugged and adjusted her bag over her shoulder before walking out. "Works for me."_

_Jeonghwa frowned as she watched Hyojin leave. She turned to sit down in her seat, and it was then that she noticed a leather-bound book sitting on the desk. She opened it out of curiosity, seeing poems or something on each and every page before realization settled in and she slammed the book shut. It was Hyojin's notebook that she always wrote in._

_Without a second thought, Jeonghwa snatched the notebook and pen and headed to the door. "I'm headed to the library too!"_

" _Okay, goodbye." The teacher didn't even look up from his papers._

_Jeonghwa furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she left, muttering to herself, "I could have been doing this all along? What? They really just let you go like that? Woah…"_

_She shook her head and made herself focus. She turned towards the main hall and made her way towards the library, and soon she heard the clicks of Hyojin's heels in the otherwise silent halls._

_Jeonghwa jogged some to catch up with Hyojin, and once she got closer she called out to her, "Yah, Hyojin!"_

_Hyojin stopped walking and threw her head back, and Jeonghwa could tell that she was letting out a frustrated sigh. Hyojin turned back towards Jeonghwa, an irritated look on her face. "What do you want?"_

_Jeonghwa came to a stop a few feet in front of Hyojin and pouted. She hid the book behind her back. "You know, that really is a rude attitude to have, especially after I just saved you from a fight." She shook her head in disapproval._

" _You didn't 'save' me from anything. I could've handled it myself." Hyojin protested, sneering, "Now,_ what do you want?"

_Jeonghwa furrowed her eyebrows, growing frustrated. She shoved out the notebook and pen towards Hyojin with an angered expression. "You left this in the room. You don't go anywhere without it, so I had to give it back to you."_

_Hyojin's scowl disappeared entirely once she spotted her notebook. She drew in a breath and opened her mouth, not really knowing what to say. "Oh… Er…" She quickly grabbed the book out of Jeonghwa's hand, "...Thanks."_

_Jeonghwa let her arm fall back to her side, her expression not changing as she stared Hyojin down. Maybe if she kept that up, she would get an apology._

_Instead, Hyojin just flipped through the pages in her book with an odd look on her face, something Jeonghwa had never seen before. "You… didn't look inside it, did you?"_

_Jeonghwa's stern gaze couldn't survive that, and she looked down at the ground shamefully. "I did, I'm sorry. I didn't know what it was until I looked inside, but as soon as I recognized it, I shut it immediately. I didn't want to invade your privacy, after all..."_

" _Oh." Hyojin frowned, and Jeonghwa finally could read her expression. It was worry, and almost fear, written on Hyojin's face. "...I see."_

" _...I'm sorry?" Now Jeonghwa felt bad._

 _Hyojin shook her head and closed her book, eyes falling shut. "No,_ I'm  _sorry. Thanks for helping me out back there, too. I'm glad it didn't go any further."_

" _Mm, me too." Jeonghwa flashed a smile, "Sunho is known for how bad he can fight on the ice… You're lucky it didn't go further."_

_Hyojin just nodded, keeping her gaze on the ground. "So… you said you were an athlete. You must play hockey."_

_Jeonghwa nodded as her smile grew. "Yeah! I do!"_

" _No wonder you requested four study halls." Hyojin shook her head to herself and turned around, and as she did so, Jeonghwa could have sworn she saw a faint smile on her lips._

_Jeonghwa blinked a few times and ran after Hyojin, not wanting to be left behind. She started walking alongside her. "Well… Yeah. I just made varsity. I don't have time for real school."_

_Hyojin looked over at Jeonghwa curiously, furrowing her eyebrows. "Yah, why are you following me?"_

" _Well, you see…" Jeonghwa smiled weakly, "In order to chase you to give you back your book, I also had to say I was going to the library, so…"_

_Hyojin rolled her eyes, but that hint of a grin on her lips betrayed her alleged irritation. "Fine, fine…"_

_Jeonghwa grew bolder now that Hyojin wasn't insulting her out of malice anymore, and she prodded her fingers together and glanced away briefly. "So… What exactly do you write in that book, anyway? Are you a poet?"_

_Hyojin drew in a sharp breath and visibly tensed, grabbing onto the handle of her bag. "...No, not quite poems. They're lyrics."_

" _Oh…" Jeonghwa nodded along, the pieces falling in place in her mind, "That explains the structure."_

" _Mm…" Hyojin glanced off to the side, still tense, "...And you read them, didn't you?"_

_Jeonghwa noticed how tense Hyojin was getting and did her best to calm her down. She shook her head and waved her hands profusely. "No, no, no! I could only make out their weird structure. I didn't actually get to make out any words, promise!"_

_Hyojin let out a relieved sigh and her shoulders untensed. "Good. That's good…"_

_Jeonghwa tilted her head, curious. "Why? Is there something in there you don't want people reading?" She paused and lowered her voice, "...Are they actually love letters to your boyfriend?"_

" _Yah! Can't you mind your own business for once!" Hyojin growled, shoving Jeonghwa's shoulder. Jeonghwa stumbled to the side a bit, but she recovered her balance soon enough. Soon Hyojin realized what she did and calmed down some, glancing away. "...Sorry."_

" _No, you're fine… I was out of line. I apologize. I won't ask any more questions." Jeonghwa pursed her lips guiltily, "I'm sure whatever you write about in that book, it's really good, regardless of what it's about."_

_Hyojin straightened herself out and turned her head towards Jeonghwa, speaking with her usual blank tone, "Hey, you know my name, but I don't know yours. What is it?"_

" _Oh! Jeonghwa. Park Jeonghwa." She smiled widely._

" _Ah, Jeonghwa." Hyojin smiled and nodded, "Hey, Jeonghwa, could you do me a favor?"_

" _Yeah! What is it?"_

" _Take a hint and shut the hell up about my goddamn book."_

* * *

It was around halfway through the match. The score was tied 4-4 for each team, and Team Heo had the hammer for the round. They were hoping to edge out a few extra points to put themselves ahead.

A few stones were already on the house, and Team Heo was standing around the house looking at what all options were available.

"If we sacrifice our stone here," Solji pointed to a stone on the very outskirts of the house, "then we can bank off of that to hit these two yellow stones out of play."

"It'll be a tough shot." Hani said, rubbing her chin.

"Nothing I can't manage… Probably." Hyelin tilted her head, "I'm more concerned about the weight of the throw more than anything. That'll have to be perfect."

"You all got that?" Solji asked, glancing between the two of them.

Hyelin and Hani both nodded, and Hyelin headed over to the hack to prepare her throw. Solji placed her broom end on the ice to help Hyelin aim, and soon Hyelin had already thrown the stone.

After Hyelin stopped gliding, she brought her knees to her chest, watching the trajectory of the stone in front of her. It seemed as if the ice's speed was being a problem again, even though she launched off the hack pretty fast. "Hard! Hard!"

Solji and Hani both scrubbed the ice in front of the stone as vigorously as they could manage to increase its speed, and when the stone had hit the two yellow stones, Solji and Hani split up to each scrub at a yellow stone to try and get it out of play. Solji's hung on the very lower end of the target, whereas Hani's went out of bounds as planned. However… Hani was so focused on scrubbing that she didn't look at her footing, so her foot hit the outer bank of the rink and she stumbled, falling over.

Hyelin, who was skating over to regroup with everyone, just saw Hani fall and shook her head as she pulled up to Solji, "Geez…"

"She was playing a little too well that I was concerned." Solji could only watch blankly, "There she is."

Hani, who knew full well how pathetic that looked, slowly got up off the ground, trying to salvage her remaining dignity. When she got up to her knees, the Canadian skip nearby had glided over and offered a hand. Curling was a fairly unique sport with a strict sportsmanship code, which showed with how the opponents were friendly to one another.

"Are you okay?" The skip asked in English, giving a thumbs-up with the other hand to try and work past the language barrier, though she hoped that phrase was universally understood.

Hani took the skip's hand and pulled herself to her feet, a bit stunned at first. Soon, she cleared her throat to regain her composure, demeanor changing entirely. "Thank you!" Hani replied, mustering her best accent and widest smile, "My friends call me Hani. It's nice to meet you."

The skip seemed surprised to hear such proficient English back, but she recovered quickly and shot back a smile as well. "Nice to meet you too."

Hyelin watched the whole exchange through the gaps of her fingers of the hands over her face. Solji could only sigh, seeing the Canadian team look at herself and Hyelin after what was happening with Hani and their teammate.

"We don't know her." Solji said, shaking her head. Hyelin held her hand up to shield her face away from Hani.

Jeonghwa could only watch the scene play out in front of her uneasily. "Oh boy…"

* * *

_After that unpleasant encounter with Sunho, Jeonghwa had managed to do the impossible._

_She had managed to befriend Hyojin._

_Sure, Hyojin still wasn't the nicest person in the world, but Jeonghwa could start a conversation with her and she wouldn't just blow Jeonghwa off. Even she started conversations sometimes. They'd talk before choir class began, or they'd talk throughout their whole study hall._

_Hyojin found out a lot about Jeonghwa. She had a younger brother and a dog, she was a right-forward on the hockey team, and she always had a secret fantasy of being an actress. Jeonghwa, however, got very little info out of Hyojin. The only thing Hyojin admitted to was also having a younger brother, though Jeonghwa discovered for herself that Hyojin had a tattoo on her left arm of a music note wrapped in a heart. Hyojin must have been really invested in music…_

_One day, Jeonghwa spent another fifteen minutes or so meeting with her coach during study hall, and when she came back to the classroom, there was a giddiness to her and a spring in her step._

_Hyojin glanced up from her notebook when she saw Jeonghwa saunter in, and she closed her book and set her pet down, crossing her arms on the desk. "Something's got you happy." She noted, glancing Jeonghwa over._

_Jeonghwa slid into the seat in front of Hyojin's desk excitedly, a huge smile on her face. "I got the number I wanted for our upcoming season. I'm so excited!"_

_Hyojin raised an eyebrow. "What number?"_

" _Ah! 82." Jeonghwa said, nodding, "It's very important to me."_

_Hyojin merely kept her eyebrow raised and tilted her head. "Yeah?"_

_Jeonghwa nodded again. "So, over the summer I visited an Olympic training center, and I met these three girls who were making their own curling team… They teasingly called me 'Hot Body' all the time. In the roman alphabet, 'h' is the eighth letter, and 'b' is the second, so that's where I get 82 from. It reminds me of the Olympic center and the girls there, so that way I can stay focused on where I wanna go in life!"_

_Hyojin didn't know where to start with that, but her first instinct was to glance Jeonghwa over curiously. "Hot… body?"_

_Under Hyojin's scrutiny, Jeonghwa grew slightly embarrassed. "Ah… It's a little silly, but yeah."_

" _And the Olympics…" Hyojin leaned back in her chair, "You sure have high goals for yourself."_

_Jeonghwa simply tilted her head and smiled. "Don't you?"_

_Hyojin paused. Her gaze drifted down to her book and suddenly her expression softened, lips twitching as she tried to control her expression and stop a smile from surfacing. "...Yeah. I guess I do."_

_Jeonghwa's smile grew. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by Hyojin speaking up again._

" _Hey. Are you doing anything next Monday?" Hyojin asked._

_Jeonghwa was stunned. Sure, they were friendly, but that sounded like Hyojin was making plans to hang out, and outside of school too! Jeonghwa assumed that if she ever wanted that to happen, she'd have to kidnap Hyojin and drag her out someplace. But no, Hyojin asked first._

" _Yah, I asked you a question. A 'no' would've sufficed."_

" _What?" Jeonghwa blinked before shaking her head, "Oh, sorry… Uh, the only thing I have next Monday is school."_

" _Well, that's not too much of a problem." Hyojin mused, opening her notebook to one of the last few pages. "Monday's senior skip day."_

" _Already?" Jeonghwa asked._

" _Do you really think we want to be here?" Hyojin replied dully, "Besides, there's like, five senior skip days throughout the year."_

"Five?"

" _Again, do you really think we want to be here?" Hyojin shook her head, "Anyways… My mother and I made a deal. I can miss as much school as I want as long as I don't lock myself in my room and write whenever I stay home. Since that was all I was planning on doing, it looks like I need to find something else to do. My brother has some club event that'll run all night and my parents have other plans, so I'll have the entire place to myself. You should come over."_

" _A-Alright!" Jeonghwa grinned widely, still stunned at the offer, "I should be able to come over around 4 once school is over?"_

" _That wasn't quite what I was asking. I meant you should ditch class too and spend the day over at my house." Hyojin said._

_Jeonghwa paused for a moment, mulling it over in her head. She could probably afford to take a day off… She just had to keep it from her parents, and everything should be fine. "...Okay. Sure! I can do that. I can… ditch!"_

" _God, don't say that. It makes you sound like some goody-goody." Hyojin let out a sigh._

_Jeonghwa cleared her throat. "I mean, uh, yeah, of course I'll skip class with you. What, do you think this is my first time?" Her voice dropped a couple octaves as she tried to fake her way through that one._

_Hyojin playfully rolled her eyes, a hint of a grin on her lips, "Sure, sure… Here, you might need this if you do decide to come over." Hyojin wrote something down on the blank page in her notebook and tore the page out, handing it to Jeonghwa. The dismissal bell sounded and Hyojin stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder, holding her notebook close to her chest. "I'm not waking up before 10, though. Don't try coming over before then."_

_Jeonghwa took the paper from Hyojin and looked it over, seeing a set of numbers and an address. She couldn't help but smile when Hyojin told her to stay away until after ten. "Hah, okay. I'll wait until afterwards. See you then!"_

_Hyojin was already on her way out of the class when Jeonghwa said that, and she held her hand up as she walked away in a parting wave._

_Once alone, Jeonghwa glanced over the page with Hyojin's number on it and snickered to herself, overflowing with giddiness and shining with a bright smile._

_She really did befriend the unfriendable Ahn Hyojin._


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The headliner concert.

"Shake that booty, that booty booty. Shake that booty, that booty booty."

_Hyojin stirred awake, rolling over on her bed and letting out a groan. She slammed her hand on her nightstand, feeling around for her ringing phone. It was too early for her to properly enjoy her ringtone, too. When she finally found it, she tapped the screen to answer it and put it to her ear._

" _Hello…" Her words were muffled because of the fact she was laying face down into her pillow._

" _Hyojin? It's Jeonghwa." The other voice said, "When do you want me over?"_

_Hyojin rolled over onto her back and squeezed her eyes shut, stretching her body out. "Yah, Jeonghwa…" Her voice was soft and low from just waking up, almost a whisper. "Why are you calling me so early? I said to wait until after 10…"_

" _Hyojin-ah…" Jeonghwa laughed softly, "It's 11:30."_

" _You're lying." Hyojin whined in a high-pitched voice. She glanced over at her nightstand to look at her clock, and Jeonghwa was right. It was 11:30. Dammit._

_Letting out a sigh, Hyojin slowly sat up on her bed. "Alright… You can come over now. I'll start getting ready."_

" _Okay! I'll see you soon!" Hyojin could feel Jeonghwa's excitement from the other line._

_Hyojin drearily ended the call and rolled herself out of bed, heading to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, she splashed her face with water to wake herself up. With a heavy sigh, she turned the light on and fished through her containers on the counter to pull out makeup to use. She worked on her eyes first before she pursed her lips, unsatisfied. After a few moments, she went to her music app on her phone and scrolled through her library until she found the song she was looking for, then went back to work while humming._

" _Shake that booty, that booty booty…"_

* * *

_Jeonghwa let out a steeling breath as she walked up to the door of Hyojin's house. Before she rang the doorbell, she sized up the house some. It looked to be a pretty nice house, and pretty large too. Clearing her throat, Jeonghwa rang the doorbell and took a step back, running a hand through her hair to try and be presentable. She was admittedly quite nervous. She really, really didn't want to mess up her shot with Hyojin after she miraculously had gotten invited over._

_It took a few moments, but soon the door opened to reveal Hyojin, who winced at the sunlight. She was wearing a black tank top and acid-washed shorts, with a red plaid shirt tied around her waist._

" _Hi!" Jeonghwa flashed a wide smile._

" _Hey." Hyojin said, voice flat, "Come on in. Take your shoes off though."_

_Hyojin stepped aside to let Jeonghwa inside, and once Jeonghwa took a step past the door, she took off her sneakers and set them on the nearby mat. She placed her hands behind her back and followed Hyojin inside, taking in her surroundings. It really was a nice house._

" _You hungry?" Hyojin asked, moving into the kitchen._

_Jeonghwa laughed to herself and nodded, placing a hand over her stomach. "Yeah, starving actually. I only ate breakfast, and that was a little over six hours ago at this point."_

" _Six hours?" Hyojin repeated, furrowing her eyebrows, "You got up that early… and you didn't even go to school?"_

_Jeonghwa only nodded, unsure of why that was so surprising. "Uh… Yeah. I always wake up at 5:30. That's when I work out. You know, it's good to always stick to a consistent schedule, so I don't break that time usually."_

" _Work out?!" Hyojin shook her head incredulously, "Geez. I can barely wake up at 8 each day. I couldn't imagine having to wake up at 5:30…and to work out no less." She shivered at the thought. She hated exercise._

" _Heh, you get used to it, I guess." Jeonghwa shrugged, flashing a smile, "Do you have any ramen?"_

_Hyojin reached into the cupboard, pulling out a paper bowl of instant ramen, which she handed over to Jeonghwa._

" _Ah, thank you." Jeonghwa smiled and held up the bowl, reading the instructions on the side. Hyojin had left for the living room shortly after that once she finished making herself cereal, and Jeonghwa joined her once she had made her ramen._

_Hyojin had already settled on the couch, all spread out with her bowl resting on the flat of her chest. She had turned the TV on to some variety show, munching on her cereal to silence. Jeonghwa sat on the corner of the couch left unclaimed and placed her ramen on the table, waiting for it to cook properly. She followed along with the TV show in the meantime._

_A few minutes passed. The only sounds in the room were the TV, Hyojin munching on her cereal, and Jeonghwa's eventual slurps of ramen. To Jeonghwa, the silence was uncomfortable, but Hyojin seemed perfectly content. Badly did Jeonghwa want to speak up, to say something, to start conversation, but nothing came to her. She was afraid and nervous too. Hyojin was still incredibly intimidating, even if they were 'friends' by that point._

_Eventually, Jeonghwa swallowed her fear and cleared her throat. The silence was bothering her more than she was afraid of Hyojin, so she spoke up regardless of the consequences. "So… What all did you wanna do?"_

_Hyojin shrugged, eyes not leaving the TV. "I don't know. I wasn't thinking about anything crazy. I honestly just planned on lounging around all day like I'd do if I were alone."_

" _Ah." Jeonghwa nodded to herself, otherwise saying nothing._

_It seemed to be an uncharacteristic answer from Jeonghwa, someone who Hyojin knew to never be such a silent type. That caused Hyojin to glance away from the TV and to look Jeonghwa over. Something had to be up, and Hyojin thought she discovered it fairly quickly. "You're bored, aren't you?"_

" _So bored." Jeonghwa admitted, closing her eyes with a sigh. "I can't lounge around like you can."_

" _Yeah, that's obvious enough…" Hyojin commented to herself. "Do you like video games at all? That's all I can come up with for something for us to do right now."_

_Jeonghwa placed her hand over her chin and pursed her lips in thought. "What kind of video games do you got?"_

_Hyojin laughed under her breath and flashed a sly smile, standing up and walking over towards the TV. "I'm glad you asked…" Opening the doors of the TV stand, Hyojin revealed her collection of consoles before moving over to the large armoire located next to the TV, which she opened to reveal a massive wall of games._

" _Oh, wow!" Jeonghwa blinked in astonishment, "There's so many!"_

" _Uh-huh." Hyojin placed her hands on her hips proudly. "Come on. Pick one you like."_

_Jeonghwa nearly jumped off of the couch and towards the armoire, rubbing her hands together in excitement. She read the titles of each game on the spines of the cases carefully, and one particular title stood out to her the most. She pulled out the case to view the cover, and Hyojin looked over Jeonghwa's shoulder to see what she picked._

" _Ah, Radiant Historia. That's a good one." Hyojin flashed a smile. "It's only single-player though."_

" _What's it about?" Jeonghwa turned her head towards Hyojin._

" _I can't tell you that. I'd be spoiling the story."_

_Jeonghwa's face went into a deadpan because of that dodgy answer. "...Okay, but is it like a fighting game, or…"_

_Hyojin shook her head. "Not really. It's a strategy RPG. Lots of dialogue and a great plot."_

" _Alright." Jeonghwa smiled widely. "Then let's play this!"_

" _But it's only single-" Hyojin cut herself off mid-sentence, not having the patience or desire to argue. She simply pulled out her 3DS from the armoire and shut the doors, handing it over to Jeonghwa. "Then you'll need this. I can just read off your screen while you play."_

_Jeonghwa took the system and made her way back to the couch, inserting the game and booting everything up. She held the system really close to her face, reading and studying it carefully, extremely focused. When Hyojin sat down next to Jeonghwa, she pulled her legs under herself and leaned in to try and look at the screen, but Jeonghwa had it too close to her face for Hyojin to see anything._

_Hyojin grabbed the edge of the system and gently pulled it away from Jeonghwa's face and closer between them. "Hey, hey. Share. I wanna watch."_

" _Heh, sorry." Jeonghwa laughed guiltily. She shifted closer to Hyojin so they could better share the screen, and Hyojin was practically pressed against her side. Hyojin was resting her arm on Jeonghwa's shoulder, lazily watching the game and the opening dialogue. Jeonghwa put on the automatic text-scrolling so that she wouldn't have to keep pressing the advance button and so she could rely on the voice acting to inform her. For some reason, Jeonghwa couldn't focus and read the text, so she really needed the voice acting to tell her what was going on. Something, she didn't know what, was distracting her, being so close to Hyojin like that..._

* * *

"Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Jeonghwa squeezed her eyes shut and leaned her head back more to get a better angle out of the can. She's done stupider things in her life, but she was still sober enough to know that what she was doing was  _incredibly_  stupid. Her pride and the promise of five thousand won made her do it.

Soon there was no liquid left in the can and Jeonghwa crushed it into a disc in her grasp, letting out a large gasp for air.

"8.3 seconds!" Hyelin shouted, throwing her arm in the air.

Hani cheered loudly, running over to Jeonghwa and giving her a high-five. Solji looked stunned for a few moments before she let out a defeated sigh.

Jeonghwa coughed and looked over at Solji, holding out a hand. "Pay up."

"I didn't even think you could make it under 15 seconds." Solji said, fishing out of her pockets to get the five thousand won, "Getting under ten is impressive!"

"Where'd you even learn how to do that?" Hyelin asked, drinking some mixed drink out of a red cup.

Jeonghwa flashed a sly smile. "I had some practice in high school.."

"Really?" Hyelin narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Hyelin knew Jeonghwa in high school. That seemed highly unlikely.

"...No. I kinda just winged it." Jeonghwa coughed again, adjusting her pants on her hips.

LE's concert was in a little less than two hours, so the four of them were pre-gaming before they went. Jeonghwa didn't particularly want to go to the concert, but everyone else, especially Hani, was super excited about LE performing, so she decided to just go along with it. Besides, the Olympics were a once in a lifetime opportunity; she would probably regret not making the most of it if she didn't do anything fun while she was there. She didn't know this LE chick or her music, but she would try it out with her friends. Hani was absolutely enamored with LE. Jeonghwa figured LE must either be super hot or super talented to warrant such a strong attraction from Hani.

Hani slung her arm around Jeonghwa's shoulders, draping herself over the other woman. Hani drank the least out of everyone, but she was tied for the most buzzed along with Jeonghwa, though that chugging bet might have just set Jeonghwa into the lead. "I can't believe I will actually die in less than two hours." She chuckled to herself.

Jeonghwa just looked at Hani strangely. "Huh…?"

"LE is gonna murder me, I know it in my heart." Hani swayed some, side to side. "I have a weakness for tough, hot women… I will drop dead the second I see her. I sense it."

"Please do." Hyelin said in a drawl. She was probably the least drunk out of everyone.

"Hey, hey… Easy, Hyelin." Solji crossed her arms, a faint rosy color on her cheeks. She was somewhere in between Hyelin and Hani in terms of sobriety. "She's only allowed to drop dead  _after_  the Olympics are over.."

"Oh, excuse me. I'll shield her eyes when LE comes on stage then." Hyelin simply looked down at her drink before taking a sip.

Hani pointed at Hyelin slowly, eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare. I'll hit you with my broom if you do."

Jeonghwa admittedly was zoning out the whole conversation, finding it hard to stay focused. She felt the buzz in her system and the fogginess in her mind. She wasn't normally one to get drunk- she only really did so when celebrating a huge win or on occasions like these -so she wasn't entirely used to the feeling. She didn't mind it though. However, Jeonghwa's been told she can get a bit too excited after having too much to drink, so she was trying to use her remaining inhibitions to keep herself in line.

Around forty minutes later, the four of them left for the performance stadium. The stadium was very close by to the Olympic Village so it didn't take them horribly long to arrive. When they did, they were able to use their sway as Olympic athletes to get a good spot closer to the stage. There was a huge crowd already present at the show, and there was still some time left before the start of the show. Jeonghwa saw this and glanced over at Hani, who had her headphones in, probably psyching herself up for the show.

Jeonghwa pulled the headphones out of Hani's ears. "Hey- just how famous is this LE chick?"

Hani gasped when her music was no longer playing in her ears, obviously offended. "How could you?!"

"Shh… Answer the question please. I'll put them back."

"Dude." Hani just gestured to the crowds, "LE is  _huge_ … She's the fastest growing female soloist out there right now. She's breaking records left and right. Look at how many people are showing up for her!" A pause. "And she's  _so_ hot."

Jeonghwa just nodded in response to that. "Yeah. You've said that a lot. Okay. Thank you!" She drew out that last part in a sweet sing-song voice, putting the headphones back into Hani's ears.

Hani started jamming to her music again, but Jeonghwa suddenly realized she had another question. She pursed her lips, knowing she couldn't disturb Hani again and instead turning to Hyelin and Solji. "Do you guys listen to LE?"

"Sometimes. Not as much as her megafan right over there." Solji gestured to Hani, who was dancing her heart out to the music in her ears. She looked absolutely ridiculous since no one else could hear the music she was dancing to.

"So, like… What is it?" Jeonghwa asked, wanting to know what to expect.

Solji glanced over at Hyelin for a moment to get her input. "It varies.. She's done hip hop, pop, and R&B songs before."

Hyelin nodded. "Yeah. It's good though. I think you'll like it. And if you don't…" Her gaze flitted over towards Hani. "Just watch her. I'm sure her reactions will be just as entertaining as the show itself."

Jeonghwa laughed at the sight of Hani. Hyelin did have a point, she had to admit. Besides, Jeonghwa was probably a bit too easy to amuse with the alcohol in her system.

Shortly afterwards, the show went underway at last. Machines at the front of the stage blew smoke into the air, shrouding the stage in a white fog. The instrumentals kicked in, and the whole crowd screamed in excitement. Soon a figure walked forward from the back of the stage, dispersing the dying fog around her and raising a microphone to her lips.

"Leggo!"

Hani's piercing shriek after that nearly rendered Jeonghwa deaf. Jeonghwa was going to make an angry comment, but she was cut off by LE's voice and the start of a loud, energy-filled song. Jeonghwa's eyes returned to the stage, and there she got her first good look at this star all of her friends loved. LE had straight greyish-blonde hair, and she was wearing a leather jacket over a black pair of leggings. Jeonghwa could only regard her, impressed. Hani wasn't wrong. LE was pretty attractive.

The song that was playing had a powerful instrumental, filled with loud horns and an addicting beat. Jeonghwa spared a glance at Hani, Solji, and Hyelin beside her, who were all singing along to some degree and replicating LE's dances where they stood. She couldn't help but smile at the sight, bouncing and swaying to the beat.

The concert held that same energy for the first half of the set, with LE's vocals, rap, and dances all exuding power. Jeonghwa had to admit, LE's music was right up her alley, and she was a fantastic performer to watch. She could see how Hani was so enamored now. Jeonghwa was considering buying the music after the show was over. She really enjoyed the songs that LE performed. In fact, the songs were strangely familiar to her, like she heard them before. She chalked it up to having heard them on the radio or in the gym with Hani.

It wasn't until the last few songs of the concert did Jeonghwa get hit with the worst déjà-vu. For the first minute or so of the song, Jeonghwa found her mumbling along to the words like she had heard them before, but it wasn't like her vague familiarity like before. No, Jeonghwa could recite almost the whole song despite her having never heard it before. She furrowed her eyebrows during the instrumental break, glancing up at LE on the stage in confusion. It was bothering her that she couldn't place how she knew the words- that is… until the instrumental break stopped and LE raised the mic to her lips for the second verse.

"No, no, boy, no more…"

* * *

" _Push this soldier back into this soldier, and have your teammates combo-attack them there!" Hyojin said with a commanding voice, pointing to the characters on the screen. "I'm pretty sure this guy is weak to lightning, so use a Thunder spell on him!"_

" _Shouldn't I heal first?!" Jeonghwa glanced over at Hyojin with a worried look._

" _No time for that! Just kill them all before they can hit you!" Hyojin growled, "We're beating this damn boss! We've been stuck here for almost an hour!"_

" _Okay, okay!" Jeonghwa bit her lip, selecting the attacks and laying them out on the grid. She watched her attacks play out, and while she gambled on killing both soldiers with that turn of attacks, she only managed to kill one._

" _Uh oh." Jeonghwa gulped._

" _God dammit!" Hyojin yelled._

_The soldier left standing was the soldier that grew stronger the more his HP dropped, so when it was his turn to attack, he used a move that hit all members of Jeonghwa's party. Normally it shouldn't have killed_ everyone  _on her team…but he got a critical hit._

_Both Jeonghwa and Hyojin shouted in anger and frustration once the 'game over' message flashed on the screen._

" _Why didn't you heal?!" Hyojin swatted Jeonghwa on the arm._

_Jeonghwa was dumbfounded Hyojin had even asked her that. "You told me not to!"_

" _...Oh, right." Hyojin mellowed out some, letting out a huff and sitting back._

_Slowly Jeonghwa closed the 3DS and set it on the table, smacking her lips. "Well, I think I need a break for now…"_

_Hyojin crossed her arms, sighing. "Yeah, me too."_

_A few moments of silence passed after that, since the both of them needed to calm down after their ragequit. Soon enough, Jeonghwa turned towards Hyojin, still shoulder-to-shoulder while sitting next to each other._

" _Now what?"_

" _Hell if I know." Hyojin shrugged._

" _Do you want to find another video game?"_

" _Maybe. I need a break though." Hyojin paused for a moment before standing up. "I'm gonna get my book."_

_After a little while, Hyojin returned with her book and a pen and sat down, Jeonghwa noticed, further away than where she was before she left. Jeonghwa frowned slightly at the realization, but she pushed it out of her mind shortly enough. She watched as Hyojin opened to a page and started to read something, and before she could even think, Jeonghwa's mouth just started talking._

" _You're really secretive about what's in that book, aren't you?"_

_The sudden question, especially one about her book, caught Hyojin off-guard. She turned her head towards Jeonghwa with a shocked expression on her face. "What's with a question like that, huh?"_

_A defensive answer. Jeonghwa wished she could say she was surprised. Drawing her knees to her chest and turning fully towards Hyojin, Jeonghwa pursed her lips and tilted her head. "I'm just curious. And you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I think you told me that you write lyrics in there? I think that's really cool." She flashed a soft smile._

_Hyojin clenched her jaw at the sight. She felt the blow to her ego when she realized Jeonghwa was breaking down all the walls she had put up with just some nice words and a smile. Hyojin thought she was stronger than that, but suddenly she couldn't keep being so evasive. "I don't show what's in here to anyone. What I write in here… it's imperfect. I don't think it's ready to be shown yet. There's a lot I need to work on before I'm confident in letting people see it. Besides…" Her gaze flitted away for a brief moment, "There are some things in here that'd be weird to show people."_

" _I said this before, but I bet whatever you write in that book is really good!" Jeonghwa beamed, smile growing._

_Hyojin turned her head away and out of view because she couldn't fight the smile that came to her lips because of that comment. "Heh, thanks… I hope it's good too."_

" _So what all do you write lyrics about?" Jeonghwa asked, "Do you write about anything special in particular?"_

_There was a second's pause. Hyojin didn't say anything back immediately but rather looked down at her book and bit her lip. Jeonghwa noticed that, and she backtracked and shook her head, "Ah, sorry.. You don't have to share that with me. I get it."_

" _No, it's fine.." Her words sounded distracted and hollow; Hyojin seemed to be debating something in her head, and soon she looked back at Jeonghwa, tilting the book towards Jeonghwa to show her the pages. "Do you… want to read some of them and see for yourself?"_

_Jeonghwa blinked in surprise, eyes going wide. "R-Really? You'd let me read it even if you don't think they're ready?"_

_Hyojin glanced away and sneered rather unconvincingly. "Pfft, it's not like I need to be worried about impressing someone like you.. I don't care what you think about them."_

_Jeonghwa would take the insult. She was getting finally getting somewhere with Hyojin; she was going to be the first person to read that book of hers! So, she'd stomach a low blow or two because she was the one winning in the long run. She moved closer to Hyojin so that they were shoulder-to-shoulder again, and she took the book into her hands, reading over the lyrics in front of her._

_Despite Hyojin's tough words, she watched Jeonghwa read with an unbreakable gaze, trying to gauge Jeonghwa's reactions to what she was reading. Hyojin had her hands clasped together in front of her lips in anticipation, carefully watching Jeonghwa._

_In a quick glance-over of a few of the lyrics, Jeonghwa was honestly surprised. She didn't expect such things out of Hyojin. Each page seemed to follow the same structure, but black lines that nearly pierced through the paper marked the lyrics in varying ways. Jeonghwa could sense the frustration in those thick, black lines of Hyojin laboring to find the perfect word or phrase. She saw lyrics that expressed emotions that ranged from playful flirtation to heartbreak to hatred, and in each song, every emotion was illustrated so beautifully and artfully._

" _Wow…" Jeonghwa whispered. Her eyes had grown wide after she flipped through a few pages, "Hyojin- I just… wow…"_

_Hyojin just blinked, staring at Jeonghwa with that same anticipation and worry from before. "What does 'wow' mean?" She asked with concern._

" _T-These are amazing!" Jeonghwa shook her head in disbelief, meeting Hyojin's gaze. "I… I don't think I've ever listened to any songs that carried_ half  _as much effort and feeling in the lyrics as these…"_

_Hyojin let out a sigh of relief, lowering her head. She scratched at her neck, acutely aware of the heat that started to spread through her cheeks and collarbone. The flattery was really getting to her._

" _I'm just… wow, so speechless…" Jeonghwa continued to page through the book, and soon she let out an excited giggle at one of the songs. "Heh, you even wrote one about ice cream! It sure mentions cream a lot."_

_Head snapping back up, Hyojin spared one glance at the lyrics Jeonghwa was currently reading and that was all it took for her to quickly reach over and turn the page for Jeonghwa. "Yeah, maybe let's not read that one…" She said pointedly, letting out an awkward cough. Suddenly that warmth that stung at her cheeks and collar grew hotter… Hyojin cleared her throat and reached over again, flipping through a few more pages. "Here, this one's pretty new."_

_Jeonghwa looked at the pages Hyojin turned to, and immediately Jeonghwa's eyes caught the large title written in the heading. She didn't notice many titles to Hyojin's works before, and the large letters made it all the more apparent this time around. It read, "L.I.E." Not only that, there were notably less black lines crossing out words and replacing them for this song. It must have been really new if it was that untouched by Hyojin's strict editing._

" _This one's really violent…" Jeonghwa commented._

_Hyojin hummed to that, trying to compose herself after what happened earlier. "Yeah, I was imagining this one to a powerful instrumental. I especially wanted to include a longer rap verse in this one too. It's this passage right here." Hyojin pointed to it with a finger, "I even have an idea of how I would want the rhythm to go for it."_

" _A rap verse?" Jeonghwa repeated, "You rap?"_

_Hyojin let out an incredulous laugh. "Are you kidding? That's what I'm best at."_

_Jeonghwa grabbed Hyojin's arm, filled with energy. "You_ have  _to show me!"_

" _Okay, okay…" Hyojin took the book from Jeonghwa and cleared her throat._

" _You have to teach it to me too!" Jeonghwa smiled widely._

" _Then you better listen carefully…" Hyojin teased, "Alright, you ready?_

No, no, boy, no more…"

* * *

"No, no, boy, no more…"

The lyrics instantly filled Jeonghwa's mind, causing her eyes to shoot wide in surprise. Despite herself, Jeonghwa wound up shouting along to the lyrics with the rest of the crowd, and her sudden shift in demeanor drew in the attention of Hani, Hyelin, and Solji. They all knew that Jeonghwa didn't know LE's music at all, so for Jeonghwa to magically know LE's iconic verse and to magically be able to recite it with her mediocre rapping skills came as a complete shock to them.

As soon as the verse ended, Jeonghwa let out the loudest gasp, looking at the stage in utter disbelief as her jaw dropped. Hani smiled widely when Jeonghwa recited that verse back, impressed by Jeonghwa's skill.

"Jeonghwa! Yo! That was amazing!" Hani shouted, "You killed it!"

"I KNOW HER!" Jeonghwa screamed. No longer could she keep herself restrained, and that was probably the alcohol in her system to blame.

"It's hard not to!" Hyelin said back, "I have no idea how you never knew of her to begin with! You really have to be living under a rock to have never heard her music!"

Jeonghwa turned towards Hyelin and grabbed her arms, shaking Hyelin. "No, you don't understand! I  _know_ her!"

Hyelin simply leaned back and away from Jeonghwa. "You're right. I don't understand." She uttered in a deadpan. This was too weird for her sober self.

Meanwhile, Hani had returned to watching LE on stage, and during a part of the choreography LE did multiple body rolls, which made Hani stomp her foot on the ground. "Oh my  _god_ , look at her! She's so  _hot!_ "

Jeonghwa's gaze flew over to Hani immediately after those words came out of her mouth, eyes filled with rage. "Hey!" Jeonghwa growled, shoving Hani, "Watch it! That's my best friend you're talking about! Don't talk about her like that!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Solji stepped in between Jeonghwa and Hani, pushing Jeonghwa back, "What happened to 'fighting's not fit for a captain,' huh?"

"What are you even going on about?! LE's not your best friend!  _I'm_ your best friend!" Hani shouted, brushing herself off.

Hyelin scoffed to herself because of that comment. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that you're her best friend, Hani." She shook her head, a sarcastic grin on her face.

"Yes, she is!" Jeonghwa shot back, "In high school! Her and I were best friends! That's why I knew all of her songs! I read all her lyrics in high school! She even taught me that rap!"

"Jeonghwa…" Solji spoke in a careful yet warning tone, "I think you had a bit too much to drink… Let's calm down a bit."

Jeonghwa shook her head. "No, I mean it! I really do! I know her!"

Solji simply nodded and flashed a weak smile. "Why don't you tell us all about it  _after_  the show? Just enjoy the rest of the concert for now." A pause. "And no more attacking Hani."

Hani hugged Solji from behind, sticking her tongue out at Jeonghwa in victory. Jeonghwa only pouted her lips and let her shoulders slump. Suddenly she got an idea and she pulled out her phone, opening her messaging app.

_**[Jeonghwa:] bro i needd u to find my junior year yearbookand senf me the picture of everyone at chiir** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] cior** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] hte choir pictre** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] im drunk** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] luv u <4 ** _

She eventually got her point across after a few failed texts and turned off her phone, slipping it back into her pocket. Her gaze returned to the stage shortly after, and Jeonghwa squinted as she watched LE. Soon Jeonghwa could recognize those features of hers, having changed and matured from age. A smile curved Jeonghwa's lips at seeing LE- no,  _Hyojin_  -on that stage, singing and dancing her heart out in front of crowds who were going crazy for her, who were awed by her stage presence. Hyojin finally shared the lyrics she labored over for years with the world, sharing them on one of the biggest stages that anyone could ever stand on.

Jeonghwa's heart swelled with pride.

* * *

After the concert was over, the four of them returned to Hyelin, Solji, and Hani's suite in the Olympic Village. Once they were inside, Hani cornered Jeonghwa, standing chest to chest with the younger woman and crossing her arms.

"Now, I won't say you ruined the night for me, because it would be so hard to ruin an absolute religious experience like that for me, but you were getting pretty damn close." Hani narrowed her eyes, "What's gotten into you?"

Jeonghwa could only smile widely. "I know her! I know LE!"

" _Everyone_  knows LE." Hyelin corrected, "Everyone except you."

"No, no!" Jeonghwa shook her head, "Like I said, I knew her in high school! Technically, I never knew  _LE_. I knew Hyojin, though. We were best friends!"

"Hyojin?" Solji repeated, tilting her head.

Jeonghwa nodded. "Senior Ahn Hyojin. One of the most gorgeous girls in the whole school, but one of the girls with the worst attitudes. Nearly everywhere she went, she could be seen writing in a leather-bound notebook or scowling at whoever talked to her. Many men have tried to ask her out, but have been humiliated in the process. She kept to herself, and everyone knew to keep to themselves around her too-"

Hyelin paused, glancing over at Solji with a strange look. "Is she… monologuing?"

Solji could only shake her head. "I blame the alcohol."

Hani was notably silent throughout the whole exchange, gaze falling to the ground. Solji noticed Hani's unusual lack of response and directed her attention at Hani. "Hani? What's wrong?"

"She's… not completely wrong." Hani admitted, "I know that LE's real name is Hyojin."

"See?!" Jeonghwa lit up in excitement, "I know her!" Suddenly a vibrating sound resounded, and Jeonghwa reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, seeing how she got a message back from her brother. "Here, look! I got my brother to send me our yearbook photo! This was us in choir!"

Jeonghwa zoomed in on the photo on herself and showed the picture to everyone else. In the picture, Jeonghwa had her arm draped over another girl's shoulders, a large smile on her face with her free hand throwing up a peace sign. The girl that she was with had brown hair that gradually turned into blonde at the tips. She had her arms crossed, with a faint smile on her face.

Upon seeing the photo, Hyelin glanced over at Hani. "You're the resident LE encyclopedia. Is that actually her?"

"It… looks like it." Hani looked at Jeonghwa, and suddenly something hit her and Hani nearly jumped in realization. "Wait- does that mean you talk to her?! Do you have her number?! Can you get me an autograph?! Can I meet her?!"

Jeonghwa's excited smile faltered before fading completely, and she locked her phone and put it away. "...Sorry. I can't do that."

"What?" Hani blinked, "Why?! Aren't you guys supposed to be best friends?!"

"We…  _were_ best friends." Jeonghwa shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "We haven't spoken in years. The number that I have in my phone no longer works. It was disconnected long ago."

"Jeonghwa… I'm so sorry." Solji frowned, walking closer and wrapping an arm around her.

Jeonghwa pouted her lips and leaned into Solji's side, avoiding everyone's gaze. "She was a year ahead of me. After she graduated, it became harder and harder to reach her. Eventually, one day, she just stopped talking to me outright. She would never answer my texts… and that was even before her number disconnected."

Hani's expression turned sympathetic, and she looked down at her shirt, which had LE's face on it. Awkwardly she zipped her jacket up over the shirt so Jeonghwa wouldn't have to be reminded of her. "...I get that she's a jerk, but I still love her and want her to step on me."

"Don't hate her because of me. Please." Jeonghwa shook her head, "She's an incredible artist. I can't believe she made it so big…" She flashed a bittersweet smile.

Hyelin handed Jeonghwa a red cup. "Here. You might need this."

Jeonghwa muttered some sort of 'thank you' before drinking from the cup. Solji's eyes went wide at the sight and she looked at Hyelin with a shocked expression.

"I thought we cut her off!" Solji said incredulously.

"Oh, shoot. We did." Hyelin paused, smacking her lips. She patted Jeonghwa on the back. "Well, let her have this one. Her best friend's a jerk, after all." Solji let out a heavy exhale in response but otherwise didn't press the issue further.

Bringing her cup with her, Jeonghwa walked over to the couch and sat down, sighing as she did so. She pulled out her phone again and went to Google. "Hmm… I wonder how many of the songs I read actually were released…"

The other three followed Jeonghwa to the couch, and Hani sprawled out on the nearby chair. A few seconds into her search, Jeonghwa let out a laugh at her screen. "She released that song about ice cream! Oh, gosh… She wouldn't even let me read that one!"

As Jeonghwa read through the lyrics, her smile slowly faded and her expression shifted into shock. "Wait a second… This isn't the cream I remember..."

"Are you talking about Cream?" Hani smiled and drew her hands in towards her chest, "Ugh, I love that song! LE is a sultry  _goddess!_ "

"Oh my god, this song's about sex!" Jeonghwa gasped, jaw dropping. "I thought it was about ice cream!"

"How could you mistake the sex anthem of this decade for a song about ice cream?!" Hani shouted.

"I was sixteen! I didn't know any better!" Jeonghwa shouted back, "Your 'sex anthem of the decade' was written by a horny teenager, not some Aphrodite figure!"

Hani let out a horrid gasp, placing a hand over her heart like her entire world was turned upside down. "This just… That just ruined my whole week! Thanks!"

Solji cleared her throat loudly, and Jeonghwa and Hani both grew silent after that. Jeonghwa merely went back to her drink, taking large swigs of it as she scrolled through her phone.

"I just can't believe she's here at the Olympics… while  _I'm_  here at the Olympics…" Jeonghwa mumbled. The alcohol was affecting her again.

"Do you think it's fate?" Solji asked.

Jeonghwa shrugged. "I dunno… Maybe?"

"Maybe it's fate for you to get revenge on her cutting you off like that." Hyelin added, surfing on her phone as well.

"Hyelin…" Solji said warily.

"No, wait, I think she's on to something…" Jeonghwa narrowed her eyes in thought.

"What, revenge?" Hani asked.

Jeonghwa shook her head, which caused Hyelin to snap her fingers in defeat. "No, not that." Jeonghwa pursed her lips, "Maybe it's a chance for us to reconnect after all these years! Oh my gosh, I should reach out to her!"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Hyelin didn't sound too convinced.

"I'm too drunk to think it's a bad idea!" Jeonghwa giggled to herself, "Okay, I got it! I'm gonna send her a message on Twitter! Uh… What should I say…"

"'Hey, asshole. Thought you could get rid of me that easily?'" Hyelin offered. Hani stifled a laugh.

"Nah, nah, I got this!" Jeonghwa typed furiously at her keyboard to write out the message, and soon she hit the send button before any one of the girls could tell her not to. "Done!"

Hyelin scrolled through her Twitter feed, and suddenly a new tweet appeared on her timeline. "You sent her a DM, right?"

"Yup!"

"You idiot. You tweeted it out on the timeline." Hyelin read the tweet over, face dropping at the sight.

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508 said: @x_xellybabyx YOOOOOO DID YOU GO TO BAEKYOUNG HIGH ASKING FOR A FRIEND IM THE FRIEND]** _

Jeonghwa's eyes widened for a brief moment before she realized she didn't care. "Welp. Can't get too hung up about that!" She threw back the rest of her drink. "Yup! I don't care!"

"Okay, that is  _definitely_  enough…" Solji took the cup away from Jeonghwa's hand, shooting a glare Hyelin's way. "And don't give her any more."

Hyelin just winced and glanced away guiltily.

Hani looked at Jeonghwa and then back at her Twitter feed. "Hey… I wanna tweet LE too!"

_**[Hani ♡ @ahnhani_92 said: @x_xellybabyx i love you.]** _

"You two are going to kill me through second hand embarrassment." Solji shook her head with a sigh.

Hani furrowed her eyebrows at her screen. "Hyelin… Why can't I read your tweets?"

"Because I blocked you." Hyelin said, not even looking up from her phone.

Hani gasped, " _How could you?!_ "

Hyelin burst out into laughter at Hani's reaction, clutching her stomach. Hani could only shake her head disapprovingly. "You better unblock me then!"

Jeonghwa stared at her tweet then glanced upwards, thinking to herself. She really hoped it was possible that Hyojin would read her tweet and suddenly they'd be back in contact again. Jeonghwa had already latched onto the idea that it was fate that made their lives overlap again, and she wanted so badly to be able to talk to Hyojin once more. There was so much that she wanted to say, and finally she had found Hyojin for the first time in years. Now all that was left to do was hope that Hyojin wouldn't leave her hanging…

* * *

The morning after the headliner concert, LE rolled out of bed a little after sunrise. She had an interview scheduled for a morning show, so she had to be awake so early. She would never do such a thing of her own free will.

Strolling out into the living room area of her hotel room, LE reached over the couch for the remote and turned on the TV. A lot of the channels were showing constant Olympic coverage, and the channel she flipped onto was showing a rebroadcast of the women's hockey game from a few days before. After LE turned on her coffee pot to make something to wake herself up with, she pulled out her phone and sat on the couch, scrolling through her SNS as she waited for the coffee to finish brewing.

As she checked Twitter, a strange banner in the Moments tab caught her eye. The banner advertised at the top showed a picture of herself, and the Moment was titled "Olympic headline concert star LE shares mysterious connection with women's hockey player." LE furrowed her eyebrows at the sight. She knew better than to read gossip about herself, but something inside her made her click on the Moment so she could look through it.

While swiping through the Moment, she only saw tweets from entertainment and gossip sites that restated the title of the Moment in different ways. She had yet to discover the mysterious women's hockey player that she somehow was connected to. Only in the last tweet of the Moment did LE get to see who this mysterious hockey player was, since she was the author of the tweet.

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508 said: @x_xellybabyx YOOOOOO DID YOU GO TO BAEKYOUNG HIGH ASKING FOR A FRIEND IM THE FRIEND]** _

LE tilted her head at the sight. Yeah, she went to that school… but why did this hockey player care? LE soon turned her phone off and closed her eyes, realizing that reading through that was a waste of time. Her coffee had finished brewing, so she went to pour herself a cup before returning to the couch. As she sipped her coffee, LE watched some of the hockey game on the TV. The South Korean team had just scored a goal, and they had all skated over towards each other to celebrate. The cameras zoomed in on the player who had made the assist. It only showed her back, which showed the player's name and number.

Park Jeonghwa. Number 82.

LE furrowed her eyebrows. The player had turned around so her face was then viewable to the camera. That's when everything fell into place in LE's mind. That face was too familiar.

Park Jeonghwa. Number 82.

82.

HB.

Soon a smile curved Hyojin's lips. "Hot Body…" She recited to herself, laughing under her breath at the revelation.

It looked like her old friend had made it to the Olympics after all. Better yet, Jeonghwa was the one who sent that really weird tweet that got its own Moment on Twitter.

Hyojin unlocked her phone and pulled the Moment back up again, swiping until the end with Jeonghwa's tweet. She tapped Jeonghwa's profile and looked at her profile picture and header. This was definitely her old friend.

Hyojin followed Jeonghwa's account and went to compose a DM, a faint smile on her lips all the while.

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx sent a message: Long time no see, long time no see]** _


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reunion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay in posting this! college is getting rough bc its the end of semester crunch. i gave you an extra long chapter to make up for it tho! it's probably longer than it needs to be but i really enjoyed writing the dialogue for this chapter. once i found my groove, it flowed all too easily. enjoy!

"Jeonghwa? Yah, Jeonghwa, you gotta wake up now."

Jeonghwa squeezed her eyes shut even tighter, squirming where she lay. She was starting to notice the sun that managed to shine through her eyelids, which made it all the more difficult to fall back asleep.

"Jeonghwa, come on. You need to get up."

"Mm…" Jeonghwa groaned, tilting her head to the side but not opening her eyes, "Five more minutes…"

The frustrated grunt she got from the other person reaffirmed Jeonghwa's suspicions that it was Hyelin who was waking her up.

"Alright." Hyelin sighed, "On a scale from zero to being stabbed in the forehead, how bad is your hangover?"

Jeonghwa's eyes fluttered open at that point and she slowly sat up some, glancing around. "Surprisingly… Zero."

Hyelin blinked a few times in surprise. "Huh. Impressive. I got a glass of water and painkillers for you, fearing the worst when I'd wake you." She held up the water and pill bottle for Jeonghwa to see.

"Aww.. How nice of you." Jeonghwa flashed a groggy smile. She sat up all the way and threw the blanket covering her to the side, noticing how a cold breeze hit her stomach. She glanced down briefly before closing her eyes and letting out a sigh, disappointed. "...Alright. Where's my shirt."

Hyelin shoved the glass of water towards Jeonghwa before getting up from where she was kneeling by the couch, walking over towards the other side of the room. Jeonghwa downed about half of the glass as she waited, and soon Hyelin came back with Jeonghwa's shirt and jacket.

"When did I take my shirt off…?" Jeonghwa asked, still disappointed with herself.

"You and Hani got a little too into it while dancing to Cream last night." Hyelin said, voice flat.

Jeonghwa winced. "Sounds embarrassing…"

"Oh, you didn't have the honor of witnessing it happen live…" Hyelin closed her eyes and shook her head, shivering at the memory, "It  _was_ embarrassing."

"Thank god I can't remember it." Jeonghwa sipped from her glass, "...At least tell me Hani was worse."

"Don't worry. She was. Now, come on." Hyelin reached out for the glass and gestured with her head towards the door. "You need to go,  _now._ "

Handing over the glass, Jeonghwa stood up and crossed her arms over her chest to cover how she was only in a bra. Hyelin placed her hand holding Jeonghwa's clothes on Jeonghwa's back, guiding her over Solji and Hani, who were asleep on the floor.

"Watch your step." Hyelin warned, "You were lucky and grabbed the couch first."

Jeonghwa furrowed her eyebrows. "Where did you sleep last night?"

"Because Hani passed out on the floor with Solji, I had the whole bed to myself last night. It was great." Hyelin smiled and let out a laugh.

When they got to the door, Hyelin opened it and shoo'd Jeonghwa out, handing her clothes over and giving Jeonghwa a hug. "Sorry we can't make it to your match today. We really need the practice so we don't have another loss on our hands." Hyelin pulled back and gave Jeonghwa a quick kiss to the cheek, "Good luck! Now hurry so you're not late!"

"Thanks! I'll text you later!" Jeonghwa nodded, smiling at Hyelin before the door shut between them.

The cold air hit Jeonghwa like a train once she was in the halls of the one Olympic residency building. Her clothes were in a ball, and she wondered if trying to put those on would take longer than just running to her room, which was a bit further down the hall. She ultimately decided just to make a run for it, figuring no one would see her in the thirty seconds it would take her to get to her room. She almost had her keys in the door to unlock it too, but a sudden voice surprised her and made her nearly drop her keyring in shock.

"Oh, captain, my captain…" Jeonghwa glanced over her shoulder, seeing how Jiyoon was smirking at her. Damn the fact their rooms were right next to each other… "Looks like someone had fun last night…"

"J-Jiyoon!" Jeonghwa flashed a fake, nervous smile, holding her clothes to her chest to cover up despite how she's shared a locker room with Jiyoon for years since they were on the national hockey team together. "I-It's not what it looks like, promise!"

"What, don't you know how common it is for athletes to hook up while at the Olympics? It's nothing to be ashamed of!" Jiyoon laughed to herself, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. "So, what country were they from? What sport do they play?"

Jeonghwa shook her head, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. "South Korea. Women's curling."

Jiyoon raised her eyebrows and nodded along. "Interesting… At least you didn't cross over into America, eh?"

"I-It wasn't like that! The curling team and I are friends! I just got drunk and crashed at their place after the concert last night!" Jeonghwa's face was warm and a harsh pink from her fluster.

"And the lipstick on your cheek?" Jiyoon smirked.

"She wished me good luck on my match today!" Jeonghwa muttered, averting her gaze.

Jiyoon could tell how her teasing was starting to get to Jeonghwa, and she simply raised her hands in defeat. "Alright, alright. I'll believe you, Cap. You're the only person I know who could do a walk of shame genuinely without doing anything the night before." She laughed, "You sure cut it close though with your timing. Get ready and we can walk down together."

Jeonghwa let out a relieved sigh now that she was no longer the target of Jiyoon's teasing, and she unlocked her door and stepped inside. Quickly she changed out of what little clothes she still had on into sweats, and she grabbed her duffle bag with her gear that she was so happy that yesterday's Jeonghwa packed for her. Soon enough, she was back outside with Jiyoon.

"Ready?" Jeonghwa asked, a wide smile on her face.

Jiyoon nodded and shot Jeonghwa back a grin. "Born ready, Cap." Jiyoon started walking ahead, and Jeonghwa followed pace shortly enough. "So, how should we go about this match? We're up against the Canadians, so it's gonna be a tough one."

Jeonghwa nodded slowly. "Ah… Yeah, I've been thinking about that. They're no joke when it comes to hockey."

"They already went up against the Americans a few days ago. Part of me doubts that they'll hit us hard. They probably don't care about anyone who isn't the American team." Jiyoon sneered as she said that, rolling her eyes.

"I thought that too. I don't think their offense will be too strong this match since we're not a team they care about. We should try and match them neck-and-neck, then hit with a really hard offense in the last period when they think they already got us all figured out." Jeonghwa clenched one of her fists, an excited grin on her lips.

"So trap 'em, huh?" Jiyoon glanced over at Jeonghwa, letting out a snicker, "Alright, alright… Works for me. We'll have to make sure we rest up for the last period then. You and I should be the push at the end if we're gonna hit them with everything we've got."

"Exactly!" Jeonghwa beamed.

Jiyoon focused her gaze ahead, letting out a content sigh. "Man… If us, the underdogs who have never qualified for the Olympic tournament, can beat the four-time Olympic reigning champs… Oh, that's gonna make us look great!"

"It'll be hard, but we can do it." Jeonghwa nodded, determined, "I believe in us!"

Jiyoon didn't say anything back at first, only turning towards Jeonghwa with a smile on her face. "You know… For someone who only was made captain by process of elimination… you're a good fit."

Jeonghwa only grinned and slung her arm around Jiyoon's shoulder, pulling the other girl into her side. "I've been told that my optimism is both overbearing and infectious… I'm just hoping it's more the latter for you guys."

"Don't worry, Cap." Jiyoon laughed under her breath, "It's the latter."

Meanwhile, back in Hyelin's suite…

Not having the patience to deal with waking Hani, Hyelin chose to wake Solji up first. She kneeled down next to Solji, using her free hand to shake Solji's shoulder lightly.

"Yah, Solji." Hyelin said, getting a stir out of the other woman, "On a scale from zero to being stabbed in the forehead, how bad is your hangover?"

Solji opened her eyes slowly, wincing as she did so and tightening her grip on the blanket. "Mm… I'd say around hitting my head on the roof of the car while leaving…"

Hyelin nodded knowingly, passing over the bottle of painkillers and a glass of water. "Here you go."

Solji took both into her hands and slowly tried to get up, but she was stopped by a weight on her midsection. She looked to her side, seeing how Hani was laying right beside her, and she assumed that it was Hani's arm wrapped around her stomach. Solji looked back over at Hyelin, expression unreadable. "Hey… what happened last night?" She groaned, not looking forward to the answer.

Tilting her head, Hyelin flashed a devious smile. "A lot."

Solji just let out a groan and hung her head while Hyelin stood back up and walked over to the kitchen. After Solji wallowed in her imagination for a while, Hyelin finally decided to tell the truth. "But don't worry. You two just clocked out on the floor together. Hani must've clung to you in her sleep."

"Thank  _god_ …" Solji muttered, sliding out of Hani's grasp under the blanket.

"Oh, your phone's on the counter, by the way." Hyelin said, grabbing food out of the cabinet.

Solji took a painkiller to help with her headache, and once she swallowed it she glanced over at the counter, squinting. "That's not my phone. I have a clear case, not a grey one. Mine's in my pocket."

That caused Hyelin to stop as she was making herself cereal. She set the box down and walked to the counter, a hand on her chin. "If your phone is in your pocket, and Hani's is in the fridge…"

"... _Why_  is her phone in the fridge?"

"Funny story." Hyelin said with a quirk of a brow before realization hit her. "Damn, this must be Jeonghwa's. I'll have to return it to her after her game."

"Probably for the best." Solji shrugged, drinking more water, "She won't be distracted."

Curiosity getting the best of her, Hyelin picked up Jeonghwa's phone and turned it on. There, on the lock screen, she could read some of Jeonghwa's notifications. "You're right." Hyelin said all of a sudden, "This definitely was for the best."

Solji furrowed her eyebrows, walking closer to get a look at Jeonghwa's phone. "Why?"

Hyelin's gaze flitted over towards Hani before returning to the screen. "Is she awake?"

After checking, Solji shook her head. "Nope."

Hyelin turned the screen towards Solji, tilting her head. "Good, because she'd scream hearing this.

LE just messaged Jeonghwa."

* * *

Jeonghwa and Jiyoon's assumptions were correct: the Canadian team certainly wasn't treating the South Korean team like a threat. They were obviously restraining themselves in the match. However… that didn't give Jeonghwa and Jiyoon the advantage they had hoped for. The Canadian team's aloof playing could only be matched by the South Korean team's hardest efforts.

In the third and final period, the score was 3-0, favoring the Canadians. Jeonghwa and Jiyoon were playing longer and harder than they expected. They had hoped to play intermittently throughout the first two periods and then play for most of the third in order to hit Canada with as much as they could muster at the end. In reality, the two captains were putting in the most minutes on the ice so that the team wouldn't get completely slaughtered by the Canadians. By the third period, they were tired and low on morale.

With Canada controlling the puck, they were in the South Korean's zone of the ice in front of the goal. One of South Korea's defenders checked the Canadian right-forward into the wall, and being so close, Jeonghwa used that opportunity to fish the puck out of the scuffle and make a break for the other net. She passed the puck onto Jiyoon and then skated as fast as she could to the other side of the rink, and soon Jiyoon returned the puck to her. Jeonghwa raised her stick back and rocketed the puck towards the upper corner of the goal. For once in the match, her aim seemed to be cooperating with her and she wasn't going to outright miss the goal. However, the goalie's glove shot out at incredible speeds to catch the puck before it could enter the net, and the puck collided with the goalie's glove with a resounding smack.

Jeonghwa's breath left her body in frustration, curses on the tip of her tongue. It almost sounded like she was hissing with how close she came to swearing, but she was holding herself back, if only barely.

As Jeonghwa skated to the faceoff spot, Jiyoon passed her, noticing Jeonghwa's frustration. Jiyoon couldn't help but smile; it helped her keep her mind off her own frustration. "Come on. Say it." Jiyoon goaded, highly amused.

Jeonghwa only drew in a sharp inhale and shook her head.

"I know you want to." Jiyoon said in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to." Jeonghwa turned her head away, getting into position.

Jiyoon only shrugged and loosened up, a grin still on her lips. "Alright, suit yourself. You will someday."

As the team's center, Jiyoon was responsible for the faceoffs. She readied her stick and eyed the opposing team's center, reading their body language. As soon as the referee dropped the puck, Jiyoon knocked it to the side with a swift hit, passing it to a defender. The defender passed it to Jeonghwa, who shot it back to Jiyoon. The puck volleyed between players, failing to find any opportunities for shots on goal. Eventually, interference from the Canadian caused a pass meant for the left-forward to go to a defender instead. Knowing that she would be returned the puck, Jiyoon spared a split-second's glance at Jeonghwa to see if she was open for a shot. From the corner of her eye, Jiyoon could see a Canadian player rushing to check Jeonghwa into the wall, so that effectively struck Jeonghwa off Jiyoon's list to pass to. Jiyoon could gauge that no one was open, and her mind only offered one idea as she saw the puck cross the ice towards her.

It was uncharacteristic for a center to make shots on goal, but considering the circumstances, the score, and the time left in the game, Jiyoon's thought process to justify it could only be described as 'fuck it, I'll do it myself.'

Winding her stick back, Jiyoon met the puck gliding towards her with a strong swing of her stick, shooting the puck across the ice. The goalie didn't react in time, and when she dropped her knees to try and defect the puck, it was already too late, with the goal already scored. The loud siren roared throughout the stadium to celebrate the goal, and the players on the ice gathered around Jiyoon. Jeonghwa peeled herself off the wall after she had been slammed into it, suppressing a wince, and skated over to the center of the ice, walking off the pain.

Jeonghwa and Jiyoon locked eyes as the siren wailed around them. A goal was to be celebrated, but the bittersweet air could not be ignored. 3-1, with under five minutes left.

They knew a lost game when they saw it.

* * *

The walk back to the Olympic Village was silent. Only so many "we still did great out there, guys" and "think about who we were up against" messages could be said before it just started to feel cheap. It was a preliminary match and they weren't out of the Olympics yet, but a defeat was still crushing regardless, especially on the scale that this one was. Once Jeonghwa reached the floor and hall of her suite, she ran across Hyelin, Solji, and Hani, who were walking in the opposite direction in sweats and with duffle bags over their shoulders.

One look at Jeonghwa's hung head and downcast expression was enough for Solji to guess what had happened with Jeonghwa's match. When they got closer to one another, Solji placed a hand on Jeonghwa's shoulder, surprising the other girl, who had no idea there was someone else in the hall with her. "I'm sure you guys did great." Solji said quietly, a frown on her lips.

Jeonghwa only let out a soft breath, averting her gaze to the ground. She was sick of both saying and hearing that phrase. She didn't say anything, but Jeonghwa simply stepped forward and closed her eyes, leaning into Solji for a hug.

Solji wrapped her free arm around Jeonghwa, patting Jeonghwa's back lightly. Unprompted, Hyelin set her bag down and joined the hug, and Hani jumped in shortly after.

"We'll all do something later." Hani said, hugging everyone tighter, "Our luck must be terrible. We all keep getting hit with losses."

Jeonghwa let out a sad whimper, hating hearing the word 'loss.' Solji rubbed Jeonghwa's back to calm her down. "Keep practicing for the playoffs, and lead your team with a good head on your shoulders. A captain shouldn't dwell too much on a loss. A captain who leads her team with uncertainty will surely sabotage the whole team's morale and lead the team to lose yet again."

Solji was right. Lifting her head from where it rested on Solji's shoulder, Jeonghwa nodded slowly and pulled away, letting out a sigh.

As everyone else pulled away, Hyelin opened a pouch in her bag and pulled out Jeonghwa's phone, handing it back to her. "Here, you left this in our room last night."

"I did? Heehee. Oops. Thanks." Jeonghwa flashed a smile, taking the phone back from Hyelin.

"Something tells me you have a few missed messages that you should check up on." Solji grinned knowingly, sharing a glance with Hyelin.

Hani's eyes shot wide and she looked over at Solji, swallowing nervously. "...How did you know." Her tone of voice was so forced that it sounded like she didn't even ask a question.

Solji turned to Hani with furrowed eyebrows. "...How did  _you_  know?"

Hyelin could only look between the two of them, knowing full well that she and Solji couldn't disclose the truth to Hani, and having no clue what Hani was all sweaty about. "Uh. Yeah. Anyways. Practice, anyone?"

Jeonghwa was completely lost and could only watch as the other three got their stuff back together and said goodbye, walking off. Weakly waving after them, Jeonghwa was still in a bit of a daze. "...Good luck?"

She drew in a sharp breath and shook her head, glancing down at her phone and turning it on. She had a lot of notifications on her lock screen, and she scrolled down through them all briefly.

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] hey Jeonghwa, you left your phone in our suite. lemme know when you can come over and pick it up** _

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] Jeonghwa? come on, i got your phone. text me when i can give it to you** _

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] ????? do you not want your phone back??? don't ignore me. i'm sick of your phone just sitting here and buzzing** _

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] oh wait** _

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] FUCK** _

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] YOU CANT READ THESE I STILL HAVE YOUR PHONE** _

_**[Haniiii** _ _♡ **:] …..lets keep this between us or i swear to LE i will destroy you** _

That must've been what Hani was worried about. Jeonghwa just smiled and giggled to herself as she read through those messages. However, her smile soon vanished as she scrolled further down her recent notifications, and her eyes shot wide and suddenly her whole body tensed.

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx followed you!]** _

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx sent a message: Long time no see, long time no see]** _

Oh, wow. This was happening. This was really happening. Quickly, Jeonghwa locked her phone and slid it into her pocket, running back to her suite. She unlocked the door and made her way inside, making a beeline for the couch. She needed to sit down for this.

Jeonghwa opened her Twitter app and smashed the follow button on LE's account. She went into her DMs and saw that the message was sent over eight hours ago. Jeonghwa suddenly panicked, hoping that LE didn't think she was ignoring her. She felt terrible.

For minutes Jeonghwa stared at LE's message, still trying to figure out if it was real. Was she dreaming? Was this a fake account baiting her? So many worries filled her at once. She also had no clue what on earth to say. What  _do_  you say to someone who dropped you over seven years ago without a word nor explanation and then moved on to becoming the biggest female idol in the music scene, suddenly wanting to reconnect? Was there something on Yahoo Answers for a situation like this? Jeonghwa didn't know if she was breathing. She only knew her heart was still beating because she could feel it pounding in her chest.

Throwing all care to the wind, Jeonghwa finally put her fingers to the test, typing out her reply at last.

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] Omg!!! It's been seven years!!! How have you been??** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] Well, I mean, I know how you've been!! You're a superstar now!! The biggest one out there!!** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] I mean like, how are you?? Are you doing okay?? Is life stressful??** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] Omg I'm so sorry I'm talking so much I have no idea what to say or what I'm saying** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] I'll stop!!** _

Jeonghwa threw her phone across the couch and shrieked, pulling a throw pillow to her chest. She grew embarrassed for her own pathetic self. She couldn't believe she just did that. LE probably thought Jeonghwa was crazy now. Well… Jeonghwa thought hard about that one. LE already knew Jeonghwa was crazy. They  _were_  friends once upon a time, after all.

Her gaze didn't move from her phone that laid face-down on the couch a few feet away. She just stared and stared at it, not moving. After what seemed like an eternity passed, her phone buzzed, and Jeonghwa jolted and snatched her phone, checking the notification.

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] I think I should be asking if you're the one that's okay xx** _

Okay, Jeonghwa made a fool of herself. She went back into the app to type out a response, but when she entered the conversation, she saw LE was still typing another message. Jeonghwa set her phone down and placed her hands in her lap, watching the screen patiently.

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] But I understand. There's so much to say. And I for one hate messaging on Twitter. You're obviously in the area for the Olympics. Name a date and a time and let's do this properly and not over stupid SNS** _

Jeonghwa immediately picked up her phone and threw it across the couch again. She placed her hands over her mouth in shock, stunned that this-  _any_  of this -was happening. It felt so surreal… Yet behind her embarrassment, her shock, and her nerves, Jeonghwa felt happy and excited. Forget being in contact with the superstar LE, Jeonghwa had finally found  _Hyojin_  again, her best friend, not a superstar. She couldn't have been happier.

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] !!! Okay!! Um… Well… Between practice and games I'm really booked… But uh… tonight works?** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] Ah sorry, that's probably too last minute. I'll think of some other time!! But tonight would be a good pick-me-up for me after the day I've had** _

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] It's not too last minute. I'll get a reservation for us for 7. I know a few places in the area to choose from. Will you need a ride? Idk how things work for athletes while staying here for the Olympics and if you have cars or whatever** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] Mmm, no I don't think I will. Just let me know where it is and I'll get there!!** _

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] Then I'll make the call soon. I hope you brought some nice clothes with you to Pyeongchang xxx** _

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] And… you said you need a pick-me-up...? You all good?** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] The Canadians destroyed my team in our match today. Doesn't feel too hot** _

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] Ah** _

_**[AHN LE @x_xellybabyx:] I'll see you at 7. I'll try to keep your mind off those damn Canadians** _

_**[Park Jeonghwa @jeonghwa_0508:] Haha, thanks!! :)** _

LE read Jeonghwa's message, but otherwise didn't respond. Jeonghwa didn't mind though. They had plans, so she would get to talk to LE soon, so it didn't matter if their Twitter conversation was cut off. A wide smile was on Jeonghwa's lips and she held her hands close to her chest, letting out a victorious and excited "Yes!"

The euphoria of her reunion with LE wore off quickly enough when Jeonghwa's mind drifted off to what was in her closet. Seeing as her Opening and Closing Ceremony outfits were provided by the country itself, Jeonghwa didn't need to bring her own fancy clothes. All she had were sweats and clubbing outfits. She lived too far away from Pyeongchang to realistically get hands on her own clothes for this… Jeonghwa certainly had a conundrum on her hands.

Options limited, Jeonghwa hurriedly grabbed her jacket and purse and ran out of her suite, heading next door to Jiyoon's room. She knocked on the door, nerves running high as she waited for it to open.

When Jiyoon opened the door, she was freshly out of a shower, hair still damp and face bare. She tilted her head upon seeing it was Jeonghwa who knocked. "Hey, Cap. What's up?"

Jeonghwa flashed a nervous smile. "Hi! I got two questions! One, did you bring your car with you to Pyeongchang, and two, are you free right now?"

"Yes and yes." Jiyoon crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, "Why, do you need something?"

"I need a fancy dress ASAP, so let's go shopping right now!" Jeonghwa smiled as widely as possible, hoping that her infectious excitement could persuade Jiyoon to go along with it.

Jiyoon shrugged and nodded, standing up straight again and stepping back so Jeonghwa could come inside. "Sure! Why not! Give me two seconds!"

"You're a lifesaver!" Jeonghwa let out a relieved sigh, stepping inside after Jiyoon. She now started to notice how Jiyoon was fresh out of the shower, and Jeonghwa's shoulders sagged at the sight. "...Shoot, I should probably shower too… Well, I can do that once we're back."

In a few moments, Jiyoon had grabbed a mask, a jacket, her keys, and her shoes, all ready to go. "Alright, let's go!"

Jeonghwa regained her excitement with that and followed Jiyoon outside, a spring in her step. She could always trust Jiyoon to play along with her shenanigans, no questions asked.

* * *

One dress, one pair of shoes, and two charges to her credit card that'll make her cry later, Jeonghwa had her outfit for the night. Somewhere along their shopping trip, Jeonghwa also talked Jiyoon into giving her a ride to the restaurant where she'd be meeting LE. Everything was all set, yet it still barely felt real.

Jeonghwa was finally ready after a much-needed shower and a solid two hours laboring over her hair and makeup. The dress that she bought had a black and white abstract pattern, and it hugged her figure and complimented her curves nicely. It probably was a little too risqué for just a meeting with an old friend… but Jeonghwa wanted to present herself well, especially if she was up against a rich superstar. She didn't want to be outclassed too badly.

Jiyoon was kind enough to drop Jeonghwa off at the restaurant, and once she stepped foot inside, Jeonghwa immediately knew how far out of her element she was. Everything was so fancy and high-class that she heard her bank account crying. She gulped out of nervousness, knowing she was going to have to shove that bill off on LE so hard. That only made her nerves skyrocket, and considering how anxious she was before, Jeonghwa was surprised she hadn't yet had a heart attack.

Jeonghwa mustered every ounce of confidence to approach the hostess, plastering a smile on her lips. "Ah, hi.. I have a reservation at 7."

"Welcome." The hostess greeted, "What name is the reservation under?"

"Ahn Hyojin." Jeonghwa let out a shaky exhale. It was odd, saying that name again after so long…

The hostess checked her records to confirm the name, and she smiled once she found it. "Ah, yes. The other person in your party arrived a few minutes ago. I'll lead you to your table. Follow me, please."

Jeonghwa nodded, walking after the hostess. "Thank you."

As she walked through the restaurant, Jeonghwa snuck a peek at some of the other patrons. They were all dressed to the nines, at each of their tables there were bottles of expensive wine. She caught sight of some of the dishes, and while the food looked amazing, Jeonghwa couldn't help but notice just how small everything was. Her stomach rumbled some while she was walking and her eyes shot wide and she wrapped an arm around her midsection. She hadn't eaten at all since she woke up, not even after her match. Everything was going great so far.

Soon the hostess came to a stop and gestured towards one of the booths a few feet away. "Here you are. A waiter will join you shortly. Enjoy your night."

"Thanks." Jeonghwa coughed out. She saw LE sitting at the booth, sitting all composed while on her phone. Jeonghwa was finally able to get a close look at her, at the new LE, and soon her heart-rate picked back up. She shouldn't have been so nervous to be reuniting with an old friend, but… given the circumstances of her old friend being a mega-star and their reunion taking place in a high-class restaurant, Jeonghwa felt like an absolute mess.

A mess she might be, but she knew she couldn't keep standing in the middle of the restaurant like an idiot. She had to go over and talk to LE, but she found herself stuck. For a brief moment, the option of fleeing passed through her mind, but Jeonghwa struck that down- standing people up was LE's thing, not hers, Jeonghwa knew from experience. Shortly enough, Jeonghwa finally found the courage and ability to speak, but something cut her off again. Did she prefer to go by LE now? What on earth should Jeonghwa call her? Her mind started yelling at her to just say something and find out later what to call her. Jeonghwa was pretty sure she already got a few weird looks from patrons who noticed this obviously not rich woman standing like a statue in the middle of a restaurant.

Jeonghwa drew in a sharp breath and stepped forward, interlocking her hands out of nervousness. "Ah… LE?" She asked tentatively, not wanting to scare her by suddenly inviting herself to sit down across from LE.

At the mention of her name, LE turned her head towards Jeonghwa, eyes suddenly wide. She quickly slid out of the booth and stepped in front of Jeonghwa, covering Jeonghwa's mouth with a hand. "Aish..! Watch how loud you say my name!" LE said in a harsh whisper, glancing around to see if anyone had heard. Jeonghwa could see the worry over LE's face from such a close proximity, seeing how they were only inches apart- and wow, LE's makeup was so pretty... When LE gauged that no one had noticed, she removed her hand, revealing Jeonghwa's wide smile. "What's with the big grin?"

Jeonghwa could only laugh. "You haven't changed a bit!"

LE looked confused at first, but soon her expression softened and she returned the smile. "Neither have you." She blinked and glanced Jeonghwa over. "Ah, well… maybe you got a little taller." She teased.

"And you got blonde hair now." Jeonghwa teased back, "It looks really nice! It fits you!"

LE ducked her head out of view, letting out a soft laugh. "Thanks.." Clearing her throat, she gestured towards the booth, placing a hand on Jeonghwa's back. "Come on, let's sit down."

Jeonghwa slid into the booth, hyper-aware of her every movement and not wanting to look too sloppy in such a high end restaurant, which grabbed LE's attention and caused her to lean against the padding of the booth, an eyebrow raised.

"You know…" She said in a drawl, "You could ease up a little. It's just me."

Jeonghwa literally choked. " _Just_ you? You.. the superstar.. who invited me to this fancy restaurant… I'm just trying not to look stupid here! This is so out of my element."

LE's lips pursed. "'Superstar?'" She repeated, disliking the feel of that word off her tongue. Letting out a heavy breath, LE directed her gaze downwards on the table, crossing her arms. "Look. I didn't mean to scare you. A restaurant this high-end is one of the few places I could be out like this without having to worry about fans flocking around me. I wasn't going to hand out my hotel room info like that, just in case you weren't actually the person I thought you to be, so I asked you to meet me here." She forced a smile, trying to get Jeonghwa to relax some, "Do you really think  _I_  want to be in a place so stuck up?"

That got a smile out of Jeonghwa, and her shoulders visibly relaxed. "I guess not. You'd rather just be on your couch at home, playing video games."

" _Exactly_." LE's smile widened. "So chill out. And stop with that 'superstar' shtick… I'm still Hyojin. A couple of number one hits won't change that."

Jeonghwa laughed at how nonchalantly that was said, but otherwise mellowed out afterwards. "You might still be the same person, but obviously a lot has happened since we last talked," There was a hesitant pause before the name finally passed through her lips, "Hyojin."

"Obviously." Hyojin let out an amused hum, "I see you've been doing pretty well for yourself lately,  _Captain_."

Being called 'captain' made Jeonghwa briefly turn away with a bashful smile on her lips. "Yeah, I guess I am. I mean, I made it to Pyeongchang, after all!"

"You must actually be good at this hockey thing. I never would have believed it." Hyojin said teasingly, tilting her head with a sly grin curving her lips.

Despite the insult, Jeonghwa just kept smiling. Their dynamic barely changed, even after all that time they spent apart. "I'm not too bad. I always knew that you would be a great singer, though."

"I certainly carried a note better than you ever did."

"Never said you didn't." Jeonghwa teased, "I also knew you were a great songwriter, and a great rapper… I didn't know you could dance, though. But you're great at that, too."

Hyojin playfully rolled her eyes and turned her head to the side, flustered by Jeonghwa's flattery. "Aish… Killing me with kindness, aren't you? Are you trying to show you're on the moral high-ground here?"

Jeonghwa shook her head, grin widening. "Nope! I'm just speaking the truth." Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on the table, placing her chin in her hands. "It's gotta be super exciting to be an idol, right? Do you know all the other idols?"

"I know a few." Hyojin quirked an eyebrow, smug, "I enjoy it for the most part. I hate the management, though."

"Really?" Jeonghwa tilted her head.

Hyojin nodded. "They can be real ridiculous and incompetent at times. Especially the promotion executives. God, I've fought them so many times… Sometimes you just got to do everything your damn self."

"I think I know someone who would sympathize with that last part… My alternate captain is very much of the same mindset." Jeonghwa laughed to herself while recalling the memory, though thinking about the match earlier instead soured her mood shortly after. She only pursed her lips and lowered her gaze to the table.

This shift in demeanor was not lost on Hyojin, who regarded Jeonghwa curiously and with concern. "...What? Did I say something?"

Letting out a sigh, Jeonghwa only shook her head. "No,  _I_ said something that reminded me of the disaster this afternoon…"

Hyojin wracked her brain for answers as to what that disaster could have been given Jeonghwa's vague phrasing, but she was pretty sure she figured it out from their conversation over SNS before. "Oh, right… Korea lost today."

"It's just… so frustrating!" Jeonghwa shook her head, balling her hands into fists.

"You were up against  _Canada_ , what did you expect?" Hyojin pointed out, though she soon winced from how harsh her words sounded, "I mean… your competition was pretty rough. At least you guys weren't defeated 3-0, right? You scored. It wasn't enough to take the lead, but you guys at least outmaneuvered the other team once. That's still something. Maybe."

The frustration inside of Jeonghwa left in a heavy exhale, and she slumped her shoulders in defeat. "Yeah… Guess so." She paused as more of Hyojin's words caught up to her, and she looked over at Hyojin curiously. "Wait, how'd you know the score?"

"I looked it up after you said you lost and wanted a pick-me-up. I needed to guess how upset you'd be, so I checked to see how bad the loss was." Hyojin flashed a small grin, "You know, you're taking it a lot better than I thought you would. I still remember having to deal with you crying whenever you lost, even if it was just by one point. I didn't know if you grew out of it."

"It's disappointing to lose! I couldn't help that my body wouldn't let me hide how upset I was!" Jeonghwa puffed out her cheeks in a pout, voice high and whiny.

Despite Jeonghwa's frustration, Hyojin just laughed at how she was acting. "Did you cry after you lost today, though? I'm dying to know."

Jeonghwa frowned. "No, I did not, thank you very much!"

"Aw, I'm glad!" Hyojin was still laughing, "Please don't cry here, though. We're in public."

"I'm not gonna cry! I'm just frustrated!" Jeonghwa crossed her arms with a stubborn huff, "Besides, that was seven years ago! I grew up! I don't cry after matches…" There was a quieter addition to that, "...most of the time…"

"You still do?!" Hyojin's face lit up and she let out an amused gasp.

"I cried after the national team won the Asian Cup in last year's continental tournament! Sue me!"

"Oh, well, crying because of happiness is a whole other story. That's fine." Hyojin composed herself, save for how she couldn't stop herself from cracking a smile, "I'm just giving you a hard time. You're just a sensitive soul."

Jeonghwa couldn't stay too riled up after that, and she mellowed out enough to return a smile. "Thank you. I think."

"It was a compliment, yes."

"Then thank you." Jeonghwa reaffirmed, "And thanks for trying to cheer me up."

"Of course. I was bad at stopping your crying when we were kids and I think I'd be bad at it now. I didn't want it to get that far." Hyojin teased.

Jeonghwa just kept smiling, knowing that despite the joke, Hyojin wanted to make sure she was alright. She didn't say anything in return, but she continued to smile at Hyojin, perhaps to the point where it started to confuse Hyojin more than anything else.

Hyojin raised an eyebrow, noticing Jeonghwa's silly grin that hadn't vanished for the longest time. "Yah, what's that smile for?" She asked, though she didn't really mind it.

"Nothing, it's just… I was thinking." Jeonghwa reached out for Hyojin's hand resting on the table, placing her hand over Hyojin's as her smile grew, "You seem so much…  _happier_  now than you ever did in high school."

Hyojin's eyes widened at that, gaze flickering between Jeonghwa and their hands. Soon she forced a smile to her lips, looking away. "Well, of course I do…" She defended herself, "It was high school. No one's happy in high school… except maybe for you."

Jeonghwa brushed off that playful remark with ease, tilting her head. "Mmm… Yeah, maybe. But you don't seem as frustrated with life as you did before. You finally look happy with yourself." Jeonghwa squeezed Hyojin's hand. "I'm so glad."

A few moments passed until Hyojin finally gave in, loosening up and flashing a genuine smile. "Yeah… I guess I don't have that teenage angst anymore, huh?"

"You definitely don't have that attitude problem anymore."

Hyojin quirked a brow to challenge her. "Well… I'm still like that with people I don't like."

"So you like me?!" Jeonghwa's face lit up.

"Yah, cut that out…" Hyojin huffed, lowering her gaze to the table between them, "...I always have."

"Aww…" Jeonghwa smiled softly. She could tell that even after all those years, Hyojin still hated anything overly sentimental, so she eased up a bit, but not without one more squeeze to Hyojin's hand. "I always liked you too."

Hyojin grinned to herself because of that. "You know, I still don't know how or why you put up with me. Nor do I really know how or why I put up with you."

Jeonghwa could only tilt her head, that warm smile still on her lips. "Well, maybe our unbearable qualities canceled each other out… But I thought there was something about you, something that made every insult and attitude problem worth it…"

* * *

Despite the evening going well, Jeonghwa and Hyojin wrapped things up at the restaurant nearly as soon as they finished eating. However, that didn't mean they called it a night- no, Hyojin suggested that Jeonghwa come over to her hotel for a little while longer. Jeonghwa, of course, couldn't resist.

The ride over to the hotel by Hyojin's driver felt entirely foreign for Jeonghwa. She tried her best to compare it to a taxi, but the leg room, lush seats, and space in the car really did not reflect the proper taxi experience. Hyojin noticed Jeonghwa's bewilderment, nudging her in the shoulder gently to snap Jeonghwa out of it.

"Yah, you've been inspecting every inch of this car with wide eyes." Hyojin said, "What's up?"

Jeonghwa blinked a few times, suddenly self-conscious of her demeanor. "Oh, sorry. I was just admiring this car… I've never been driven around in anything so fancy before." She flashed a smile, "Jiyoon's car is a deathtrap. I know she can afford a better one, but I think at this point she just keeps it around for the thrill of driving a metal deathtrap."

Hyojin grinned briefly in return. "My car back then wasn't too safe either, remember?"

Suddenly Jeonghwa's eyes shot wide as she was reminded of Hyojin driving her around a few times. "...I think I repressed those memories. I was happy having those memories repressed."

Letting out a laugh, Hyojin turned away and shook her head, "It was almost hard to part with that heap of metal when I finally got enough money to buy a new one... I miss the adventures in that thing, sometimes."

"I… I do not miss Li'l Elly." Jeonghwa said flatly. The memories were playing through her head after all of those years, and she could still acutely feel the fear of what it was like being subjected to Hyojin's driving in that nearly thirty year-old Jeep.

"Like you were any better of a driver when you got your license. In fact, you were worse than I was!"

"At least Alice was  _safe._ "

"Li'l Elly was safe…" Hyojin trailed off, averting her gaze, "...Well. Maybe not…"

Jeonghwa could only laugh. Before long, the car had pulled up to valet of the hotel, which was Hyojin and Jeonghwa's cue to leave. The driver had exited first to let Hyojin out, but Jeonghwa, unaware of celebrity etiquette, just hopped out of the car on her own and adjusted her dress accordingly. She got a weird look from Hyojin's driver, but a glare from Hyojin got him to rethink his behavior.

Hyojin placed a hand on Jeonghwa's back to get her to start walking towards the entrance. "Come on. Let's head inside."

Jeonghwa drew in a breath and stood up straighter in response to Hyojin's touch, fixing her gaze ahead of her. Walking through the lobby of the hotel, Jeonghwa couldn't help her curiosity, and her fixed gaze came undone as she glanced around the exquisite, elegant furniture and design. She wondered how badly she stood out in such a place, but she supposed having someone who looked as poised as Hyojin at her side helped Jeonghwa blend in a bit more.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jeonghwa snuck a glance at Hyojin as they walked in comfortable silence. It was incredible that someone whose expression used to be so rugged and darkened could turn into something so confident, composed, and refined. It was almost hard for Jeonghwa to recognize Hyojin at times, though she supposed it was for the better; Jeonghwa always thought Hyojin looked better wearing a smile.

After a long ascent in the elevator, Hyojin led Jeonghwa to her room in the hotel, though she paused once she had the key inserted in the door with her hand on the knob.

"If your reactions have taught me anything tonight, I'll just give you a good five minutes to recover after you see this." Hyojin said, looking back at Jeonghwa, "I have a feeling you're going to look even more lost and stunned than you did back at the restaurant or on the drive over."

"Aish…" Jeonghwa shifted on her feet, placing a hand on her hip, "It's that bougie, huh?"

"It's that bougie." Hyojin admitted. She opened the door and stepped inside, holding it open for Jeonghwa to follow.

The second Jeonghwa saw the inside of the room, her jaw hit the ground and all of her breath left her body. Hyojin just watched with a faint satisfaction of being correct in her assumptions, though after a certain point, Jeonghwa's shock just turned concerning, not amusing.

"...Alright." Jeonghwa began after a long silence, "This is bigger than my whole apartment back home. Let me just square that away."

Hyojin vaguely gestured around. "Well, make yourself at home. It's not like you're not allowed to touch anything."

Jeonghwa took her shoes off by the door and winced as her feet laid flat on the ground after being in heels for so long. "Aish…" She said under her breath, slowly walking/half-limping her way to the couch. Jeonghwa threw herself onto the couch without a care that she was still dolled up in a dress, making herself comfortable. She continued to glance around at the sophisticated, elegant interior design of the room, and she eventually turned back to Hyojin with a raised eyebrow.

"You live like this?" She asked.

Hyojin took her shoes off as well, joining Jeonghwa on the couch but not having the luxury to lay down as haphazardly as Jeonghwa. "Sorta. My place back home isn't this gaudy… but I do live comfortably."

"Wow." was all Jeonghwa could say.

Shrugging, Hyojin slumped where she sat, trying to make herself as comfortable as possible. "You get used to it. Sometimes I hate it too."

Jeonghwa shifted and stretched as she laid on the couch, closing her eyes and scrunching her nose in discomfort. "Hey, tell me this… Do you have to wear such uncomfortable clothes like this because you're so famous?"

"Ugh, all the time…" Hyojin rolled her eyes, "I get concerned if my stylist recommends me a comfortable outfit."

"This dress is killing me…" Jeonghwa muttered, still struggling to find a way to get herself comfortable.

Hyojin was silent for a moment, pondering something over. "Were you planning on going back to the Olympic place tonight or no?"

Jeonghwa thought it over for a moment before pouting. "I'm tired…"

"I'll take that as a no. Alright, follow me." With that, Hyojin slowly stood up, adjusting her clothes as she did so. She extended a hand for Jeonghwa to take to help herself up.

When Jeonghwa took Hyojin's hand to pull herself off the couch, Jeonghwa just let out a groan, barely able to stand. "Ugh, I think the soreness from my match is starting to kick in… or I'm just now realizing how everything hurts."

"Sore? You never got sore from your matches." Hyojin commented. She was probably the only reason why Jeonghwa was still standing at that point.

"I was playing harder than I probably should have. I pushed myself a bit too far." Jeonghwa groaned again, trying to loosen her shoulders, "Besides, those Canadians didn't like it whenever I wasn't currently being checked into a wall."

"Damn Canadians." Hyojin muttered. She started walking away from the couch, pulling Jeonghwa along until Jeonghwa actually started walking on her own.

Once they were in the bedroom of the suite, Hyojin walked over to one of her suitcases on the ground and opened it. Jeonghwa walked inside and placed her hands on her hips, examining the room, and, as usual, being surprised by its elegance. This time though, she just regarded the room with a wistful look. Envious, almost.

Soon Hyojin threw some clothes at Jeonghwa, but Jeonghwa was too preoccupied staring around the room to catch them, so they just hit Jeonghwa before falling to the floor. "Here, change into this."

Jeonghwa blinked before reaching down to pick up the clothes, which on closer inspection, she saw to be a t-shirt and some shorts. She glanced between the clothes and Hyojin, a confused look on her face.

Hyojin noticed Jeonghwa's weird stare and narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"You… have clothes like these?"

"...Yeah?"

"Are these designer?" Jeonghwa asked, inspecting the clothes and looking for a fancy label.

Hyojin shook her head. "Nope… It's just a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. You can find them in any department store."

"Like Barneys?"

"Like Old Navy." Hyojin rolled her eyes.

Eventually Jeonghwa gave up and merely shrugged. "If you say so… Could you help me with my dress?"

Hyojin walked over as Jeonghwa turned her back to her so Hyojin could help unzip. "I really like your dress." Hyojin said suddenly as she undid the zipper, "It fits you well."

Jeonghwa flashed a bashful smile. "Hah, thanks… I didn't want to look that bad compared to you, so I picked out something extra nice."

"Nonsense." Hyojin grinned back. Her fingertips brushed against Jeonghwa's exposed skin as she pulled away, causing a chill to spread through Jeonghwa's body. "You looked great tonight." When Jeonghwa turned around to face her, Hyojin teasingly took Jeonghwa's chin between her thumb and index finger. "You finally lost some of that baby weight in your face."

Jeonghwa pursed her lips and scrunched her nose in retaliation, but a smile broke out on her lips after a short while. "You finally lost that scowl of yours."

"Don't test me." Hyojin said in a sing-song voice. She gathered her hair and brushed it to the side, turning her back to Jeonghwa for help with her own dress. "Help me out here."

There was a moment of hesitation as Jeonghwa saw Hyojin turn around, and after a few seconds Jeonghwa bit her lip and grabbed the zipper, slowly unzipping Hyojin's dress. As soon as she was done, Jeonghwa turned away, wanting to divert her attention back onto changing.

She slid out of her dress and put on the t-shirt and shorts, feeling much freer afterwards. She finished just in time to see a similarly-dressed Hyojin fling herself onto the bed, laying down face first and letting out a relieved groan. Jeonghwa grinned before jumping onto the bed beside Hyojin, causing the other girl to bounce slightly because of Jeonghwa's weight.

"Yah, watch it…" Hyojin spat, though her exhaustion made her words lack bite. She pulled the covers over herself, making a point to keep her back to Jeonghwa after that stunt.

Jeonghwa could only giggle at Hyojin's reaction, drawing her knees to her chest. "What, you're going to sleep already? It's barely past nine-thirty!"

"I'm tired. Sue me." Hyojin shot back, though Jeonghwa can hear the lilt of amusement in her voice.

"It must be exhausting with all the work you have to do." Jeonghwa grinned, "Don't worry, rest all you need."

"I'm surprised you're not more exhausted. Didn't you play a full match today?" Hyojin thought about it more and turned slightly so she could peer over her shoulder at Jeonghwa, "Hey- weren't you just complaining about how tired you were ten minutes ago?!"

Jeonghwa shrugged guiltily, a smile still on her lips. She laid down next to Hyojin and soon pressed herself up against the other girl, wrapping an arm around Hyojin's waist and resting her head in the crook of Hyojin's shoulder.

Hyojin shifted slightly at the sudden contact, groaning to herself. "Are you still this clingy every time you share a bed with someone?"

Eyes flying open, Jeonghwa froze at the statement. She wondered if she overstepped, and she was finally starting to free herself from her paralysis to move and apologize, though she was stopped by Hyojin placing her hand over Jeonghwa's and getting herself comfortable.

"Hmm… You know, I was going to ask you to sleep on the couch, but you're lucky I have a heart now. I won't make you move." Hyojin teased, laughing to herself under her breath.

"Thank you." Jeonghwa hummed happily, letting her eyes fall shut.

Silence followed for a few minutes. Both Jeonghwa and Hyojin's breathing started to mellow out as they relaxed, but neither of them truly had fallen asleep yet. Jeonghwa's mind had started to drift off, thoughts streaming through her consciousness quickly and without rest. She could still barely believe that Hyojin was back in her life, and that they were seemingly as close as they had been before. There was a slight shift in their dynamic, a hesitance and nervousness that wasn't there before, but Jeonghwa chalked it up to Hyojin's new status as an idol and the nerves of reconnecting with an old friend. She didn't spend too long thinking about that shift, because before long, she was back to feeling that contentment from being around Hyojin again.

Before Jeonghwa could stop herself, she tightened her arm arm around Hyojin's waist, buried her head further into Hyojin's neck, and whispered, "I missed you, Hyojin..."

There was a sharp inhale from Hyojin, but before long, she squeezed Jeonghwa's hand. "I missed you too, Jeonghwa. I missed you too."

Jeonghwa smiled into Hyojin's neck upon hearing her words. Sleep came easily to her after that.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Hyojin to Solji, Hani, and Hyelin is harder than Jeonghwa expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! it's finals week (im procrastinating on my work haha) so i'm almost free from uni! this means that updates will be much more frequent and regular now that it's summer. look forward to it! i estimate there will be like 11-12 chapters to this, so we're around the halfway point. things are sure picking up! i hope you enjoy this chapter. thank you for your patience throughout the last few weeks of my semester! things will become a lot more smoother now that it's (almost) over

Her eyes opened to the sounds of makeup compacts closing shut, and slowly Jeonghwa began to wake. Whenever she opened her eyes, she found herself unable to keep them open for long, since the softness of the mattress and pillows were so inviting that Jeonghwa never wanted to leave. Hearing more clicks from the makeup compacts made Jeonghwa curious as to what was going on. She also soon realized that she was alone in the bed.

Rolling over, Jeonghwa peered into the master bathroom, seeing Hyojin applying makeup in the mirror. Hyojin must have heard the blankets rustle due to Jeonghwa moving, because she spared a glance over at Jeonghwa.

"Go back to sleep." Hyojin said, voice quiet, "It's early."

"Mm… No, I'm fine…" Jeonghwa sat up on the bed and stretched, letting out a loud yawn, "I'm just surprised you're up before me. Should I be concerned…?"

Hyojin scoffed, shaking her head almost out of bitterness. "I know, right? But don't worry, I'm not awake this early by choice. I have a radio interview."

"Oh, right. Idol business…" Jeonghwa soon collapsed back onto the bed. She couldn't help it; it was so comfy.

"Yeah. Don't let me keep you awake. I'll give you my driver's information so when you wake back up, you can head back to the Olympic place."

"No, really, it's fine." Jeonghwa finally could keep her eyes open, but she did not want to get off of that bed. A question had been nagging at her since the night before, and maybe it was because she was too tired to hold her tongue or because she could never hold her tongue to begin with, Jeonghwa finally asked it, "So… Now that you're done with the headliner show, I guess you'll be leaving Pyeongchang soon, huh?" There was a twinge of sadness to her voice.

The snap of the compact closing was louder and more forceful than usual, but Hyojin played it off surprisingly well. "I am done with the headliner show, yeah. But that doesn't mean I'm done with Pyeongchang. The promotion cycle for my latest album is over, so I don't have many schedules. I can extend my stay here in Pyeongchang for a little while longer."

"Really?" Jeonghwa's face lit up.

"Mhm." Hyojin's lips turned up in a slight grin. "I'm not ditching you, so lose the sad face, alright? I'm sticking around for you."

Throwing her covers off of her, Jeonghwa climbed out of bed and ran over to Hyojin, throwing her arms around her in a hug and letting out a content sigh as her eyes fell shut. "I'm so glad!"

Hyojin inhaled sharply when Jeonghwa's arms enveloped her, jerking her hand away from her face so that she didn't botch her eyeliner job. "Aish… Careful!" Though she couldn't stay that irritated for long, and eventually she relaxed in Jeonghwa's arms. "Yeah, I thought you would be."

Jeonghwa pulled away quickly and took a step back, flashing an apologetic smile. "Heh, sorry… So does that mean I'll be able to see you again?"

"Uh-huh. Let me know if you want to do anything. I'll tell you if I can make it."

Thinking it over for a moment, Jeonghwa tapped her chin before an idea came to her, causing to her perk up considerably. "Do you like curling?"

"Curling?" Hyojin repeated with pursed lips, "I know nothing about it…"

"Neither do I!" Yet Jeonghwa still smiled while admitting that, "But my friends have their first playoff match tonight, and I'm going to support them! I figured I'd invite you along!"

Hyojin only shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

Jeonghwa's face lit up with a bright, wide grin. "Great! Hey, and if you want to, we can all hang out after the match! You'll love the curling team. They're such fun!"

Glancing at Jeonghwa out of the corner of her eye, Hyojin couldn't suppress the smile that formed while watching Jeonghwa's excitement grow. She closed her eyes and shook her head, turning back towards the mirror. "If you say so..."

* * *

_Hyojin had an image to maintain. She couldn't let anyone, absolutely anyone, think that she liked people. Before her senior year, she never even wanted to be social so it was easy to uphold her image, but now she had to force herself to stay that way to keep the status quo._

_Keeping that status quo, however, was becoming more and more difficult because of Park Jeonghwa._

_Hyojin sat there in study hall behind Jeonghwa, just staring at the other girl's back. Hyojin had showed up late, because lol why would she care about being on time, and Jeonghwa hadn't said a word to her when Hyojin walked in, instead completely immersed in reading a book. For some reason, and for a reason that she hated knowing of, Hyojin didn't like that at all. She_ wanted  _a conversation with Jeonghwa, but Jeonghwa wasn't giving her one like she always would. Hyojin couldn't believe it. She actually wanted to be a social and friendly person, and she was upset that she wasn't having a conversation with Jeonghwa. Oh, she hated herself for that._

_Clearing her throat, Hyojin figured that if she was really going to get what she wanted, she had to do it in her own way that wouldn't compromise her image. "Yah, stop clicking your damn pen."_

_Suddenly Jeonghwa lifted her head, surprised at the voice, then she looked at her hand holding her pen, which she realized she had been clicking absentmindedly as she read. "Oh… Sorry. I'll stop."_

_Then it was back to silence. Hyojin found herself inhaling sharply. Why was this happening? Why was the only time Hyojin wanted to be social the same time Jeonghwa didn't? Hyojin hated every second of it, mostly out of disappointment in herself for feeling such an urge to make conversation. This was truly detrimental to her image, but there was only so much Hyojin could care about her image before something became so important that she just threw it away- and Hyojin was surprised at how easily she decided to discard her image over this small detail._

_Hyojin inhaled and then let out a really fast string of words, her image-conscious self perhaps hoping that if she said it so fast, maybe she wouldn't be exposed, "I'm sorry for whatever I did that made you so upset, please stop ignoring me-" Hyojin slapped her hand over her mouth. That was more pathetic than she expected it would sound. God, why did she have to feel this way…_

_Jeonghwa lifted her head again and turned over her shoulder to face Hyojin. "Huh…? You're sorry?" Suddenly Hyojin's words caught up to her, and Jeonghwa shook her head, "Oh, no! You haven't done anything wrong! I'm sorry! It's just… I have a midterm tomorrow in this history class, and I know absolutely nothing, and I really need to study..."_

_Hyojin's hand slid off of her face, and Hyojin lowered her head to hide her face from view. She felt really stupid. Well, that was the last time she ever sacrificed her image for anything… "...Ah. What class?"_

" _Honors Medieval History." Jeonghwa sighed, pouting out her lips._

" _Oh…" Hyojin frowned. She was glad that her sympathetic look was still obscured from Jeonghwa; she couldn't take exposing herself any more than she already had, "I took that last year. It was rough."_

" _You took it?!" Jeonghwa perked up, eyes shooting wide and sporting a hopeful look, "Do you remember anything?! Literally anything?!"_

_Hyojin lifted her head with squinted eyes. "I mean, sorta… I repressed a lot of it."_

" _Can you help me study?!" Jeonghwa leaned forward and placed her hands on Hyojin's desk, "Please?! If I do badly on this midterm, it might ruin my grades so that my coach won't let me play…"_

_Hyojin just swallowed. The pleading look on Jeonghwa's face, the wide eyes that carried such hope, the way her lips parted so slightly from surprise… Hyojin thought she was going to melt, and her heart panged at the sight. She schooled her expression so that it wouldn't show how affected she was by Jeonghwa's pleas, but on the inside, Hyojin felt terrible. "...I mean, I'm not kidding when I say I repressed a lot of it, but… I can help you study."_

" _Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Jeonghwa was beaming, relief and glee washing over her expression._

_Hyojin pursed her lips and forced herself to look to the side. "Don't mention it.. Wednesdays are your off days from practice, right? We can just head back to my place from here."_

_Jeonghwa blinked a few times before tilting her head. "You… remember what days I have practice?" She asked, touched._

" _It was a lucky guess." Hyojin huffed, changing the subject, "Does that sound good?"_

_Jeonghwa just smiled and nodded. "Yeah! Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver, really!"_

" _Again, don't mention it…" Hyojin simply shook her head, keeping her gaze anywhere but Jeonghwa._

" _Let me take a few minutes to keep reviewing, yeah?" Jeonghwa asked, pointing at her textbook on her desk, "I want to be as prepared as possible for when we review!"_

_Hyojin nodded, softening her expression but not daring to crack a smile or speak. Jeonghwa turned away to continue reading, and Hyojin's shoulders slumped at the sight. She sat there, cursing herself for everything. She figured that she needed to get her mind off of everything, so she pulled out her notebook and opened it to one of her recent pages. Yet… as she tried to work, pen in hand, Hyojin found that her brain wasn't cooperating in the slightest._

_Eventually Hyojin just groaned and set her forehead on the table, exasperated. What was happening to her…?_

* * *

When Jeonghwa got back to the Olympic Village, there was a wide smile on her face and a spring in her step. She held her heels in her hands as she walked down the halls of her floor, and she took her sweet time in making her way back to her suite. Once she was a few rooms away from her own, Jeonghwa fished her keys out of her purse, and her gaze was torn away by hearing another door close. Jeonghwa looked up, seeing how Jiyoon had just stepped out of her suite. She flashed a smile and waved.

"Morning!" Jeonghwa greeted Jiyoon.

Jiyoon stopped in her tracks and glanced Jeonghwa over with furrowed eyebrows. "Hey… Uh, weren't you wearing that last night?"

"What, this?" Jeonghwa looked down at her dress, "Yup."

A devious grin crossed Jiyoon's lips. "You just got back now, didn't you?"

Jeonghwa nodded again. "Yup!"

"I bet you sure had fun last night, especially if you stayed the night…" Jiyoon snickered, peering over her sunglasses.

"Uh-huh!" Jeonghwa had a smile on her lips until suddenly the realization hit her, and she waved her hands frantically, "Wait, no! No, no! It wasn't like that!"

"Let me guess…" Jiyoon crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, that smirk still on her lips, "You 'got drunk and crashed at their place' last night, right? Isn't that how it went before?"

"Yes- I mean, no!" Jeonghwa shook her head, blushing a vibrant red, "Yeah, I crashed at her place, but that was it! And that  _was_  how it went yesterday too!"

"My, my, you're easy to fluster!"

"It's hard not to get flustered when my alternate keeps thinking I'm getting up to no good every night!" Jeonghwa huffed, glancing away.

Jiyoon just laughed. "Fine, you didn't do anything last night, I believe you. Did you have a good time, though? Like, genuinely?"

"Thank you..." Jeonghwa let out a calming sigh, relaxing considerably, "And I did. It was a ton of fun last night! Gosh, I really missed her… It was so nice seeing her again after so long!"

"Good. I'm glad." Jiyoon smiled, "Did you want to come practice with me?"

Jeonghwa nodded. "Yeah, sure! Give me a few minutes to get ready!"

Jiyoon watched as Jeonghwa unlocked her suite and rushed inside, still smiling faintly. "No worries, Cap. I'll wait."

* * *

_Hyojin was lucky that Jeonghwa was directionally challenged, because she had purposefully taken a longer route home and she didn't want to be called out for it. The car ride gave her a chance to sort out her thoughts and get everything together. The loud music was helping her relax, and she was grateful that Jeonghwa was still trying to read that textbook to study. Hyojin could almost believe she was alone in that car, since Jeonghwa wasn't trying to talk her ear off. Eventually though, Hyojin started to miss conversation again._

" _How's the studying coming along?" Hyojin asked, gaze flickering towards Jeonghwa for a second._

_Jeonghwa closed her book and let out a pathetic whimper. "I'm suffering…"_

" _I can see that." Hyojin grinned to herself for a brief moment before returning to a neutral expression. "Take a break for a bit. Don't wear yourself out."_

" _Yeah…" Jeonghwa sighed heavily, resting her head against the window. She glanced outside for a little while, looking at the grassy plains that surrounded the car and the road. Soon she turned back to Hyojin, though her gaze focused in on the radio. "Is this music you normally listen to?"_

_Hyojin nodded. "For the most part." She reached down for her phone that was connected to the radio through the aux and passed it to Jeonghwa. "Here, why don't you play something?"_

_Taking the phone in hand, Jeonghwa unlocked it and went to look up some music to play. After a few moments, she played a song and turned to Hyojin with a wide smile, "This one has a rap part in it!"_

_Hyojin playfully rolled her eyes as the opening instrumental played, knowing that was Jeonghwa politely demanding Hyojin sing along. As she listened along, Hyojin glanced at Jeonghwa out of the corner of her eye, watching as Jeonghwa sang along excitedly to the song. While she secretly didn't want to cut Jeonghwa off during her little jam session, Hyojin did so anyway. "I'm guessing you like chiller songs, huh?"_

" _Yeah, but that doesn't mean I don't like the more exciting stuff. I like chillstep and EDM." Jeonghwa nodded, "This was one of the few songs that I really like that have a rap part in it, so I played it for you!" She smiled widely._

" _How considerate of you." Hyojin mused in a tease._

_Jeonghwa just let out a laugh, and she suddenly perked up when she started paying attention to the song again. "Oh, oh! It's coming up!"_

_Hyojin rolled her eyes again, but this time she couldn't suppress a grin from forming. "I know, I know… I've heard this song before."_

" _You have?!" Jeonghwa's face lit up._

" _Uh, yeah…" Hyojin laughed incredulously, "Miryo's like, my hero."_

_Jeonghwa grabbed Hyojin's arm and pointed to the radio, overflowing with excitement. "Come on! Do her verse justice!"_

_Hyojin looked over at Jeonghwa, that ghost of a smile still on her lips. She could see the excitement in Jeonghwa's eyes and the brightness of her smile, and Hyojin felt like her chest constricted at the sight, seized by warmth. She turned away and had to labor her breathing for a moment in order to have enough breath to sing, but with every word she rapped, she could hear Jeonghwa cheering her on, which came dangerously close to messing with Hyojin's flow and causing her to laugh._

_Jeonghwa's excitement was infectious, and even when the rap verse was over, Hyojin still wore that slight grin. The warmth in her chest spread throughout her, and she swore the warmth even showed on her cheeks and through her neck. Luckily Jeonghwa was too immersed in the song to notice, but Hyojin kept her eyes focused on the road, and soon she let out a heavy sigh to try and compose herself._

_Whatever was messing with her ability to think and to breathe around Jeonghwa, Hyojin begged for it to go away._

* * *

Just like every other time Jeonghwa sat in on a match, she jammed to the DJ's hits in between plays and matches, decked out in as much Team South Korea gear as possible. She was sure to cheer as loudly as possible for Team Heo, trying to transfer as much good karma that she could their way so that they would win their first playoff match against the American team.

And just as expected from South Korea's Curling Sweethearts, Team Heo was jamming just as excitedly as everyone else in the stadium despite the fact they were about to play one of the most important games of their career. Jeonghwa could see Hyelin trying to sing along as obnoxious as possible, leading to Hani and Solji's raucous laughter. Jeonghwa giggled to herself at the sight.

In the midst of Jeonghwa's little jam session, she could hear someone shouting her name.

"Yah, Jeonghwa!"

Jeonghwa could recognize that voice anywhere. She turned to see Hyojin walking through the row of bleachers towards Jeonghwa. Fortunately the row was fairly empty since it wasn't public access seating but seating reserved for family or fellow Olympians. Jeonghwa grinned when she saw Hyojin, and she patted the spot next to her for Hyojin to sit down.

Hyojin pulled down her mask to rest under her chin when she sat down next to Jeonghwa, and her nose scrunched slightly as she looked around. "Sounds like they're playing my song…"

"This is your song?" Jeonghwa asked.

Hyojin looked back at Jeonghwa, an eyebrow raised. "Yeah. I performed it at my show, remember?"

Jeonghwa shook her head. "...Nope. I was very drunk."

"That explains… a lot." Hyojin nodded to herself, amused. "Heh, I never got to see a drunk Jeonghwa before. She must be interesting."

"Drunk me is very stupid." Jeonghwa nodded, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Oh, she's not that different than regular you, then."

Jeonghwa gasped. "Wha- hey!"

Hyojin smiled and let out a laugh. "I'm kidding! I'm sure you're smarter."

Seeing Hyojin smile made Jeonghwa realize that she couldn't stay offended for too long, and soon she melted into flashing a smile of her own back. "So, what's the mask for?"

Hyojin's hand absentmindedly went to trace the upper hem of the mask. "I'm in public, Jeonghwa. This hides some of my face so I don't have people swarming me."

Jeonghwa nodded along to that, and she took a closer look at what the mask looked like. It was black, but it had the word 'push' on it in bright pink colors. "I like it!"

Hyojin smiled at that. "Thanks. I used it for a music video one time, but I really liked it, so I swiped it for myself."

"That's so cool…" Jeonghwa said, awestruck, "Could you steal something for me sometime?"

"Hm. Maybe." Hyojin teased, letting out a soft laugh. Her gaze went out to the ice rinks below them, and she did her best to follow along with the game. Soon she pointed at a group of girls in blue and white polos. "Are they your friends?"

"Yup!" Jeonghwa perked up. Team Heo was going over strategy, with Solji and Hani pointing out the stones on the house and Hyelin watching from the hack. "The one with orange hair is Solji, the one with black hair is Hyelin, and the one with that purplish-red mix is Hani."

"Solji, Hyelin, Hani… Got it." Hyojin repeated, trying the names out on her tongue.

"I've known them for years! I met them one summer at an Olympic training facility and we all got along so well!" Jeonghwa smiled widely.

Hyojin tilted her head, a small grin on her lips. "And which of them was the one who gave you the nickname 'Hot Body,' huh?"

"You remember?" Jeonghwa asked, somehow finding a way to smile brighter.

"Of course I do."

"It was Hani." Jeonghwa let out a laugh, "She's very vocal about her appreciation for other women."

Hyojin rested her chin in her hand, gaze flickering back to the ice. "Interesting… Is that why she's flirting with the other team?"

"She's what-" Jeonghwa tore her gaze off of Hyojin to look for Hani, who was chatting with one of the American players with a huge smile on her face while leaning on her broom. Jeonghwa's expression fell at the sight, and instinctively she looked over at Solji and Hyelin. Solji caught wind of what was happening with Hani, and she raised her broom and took a step towards Hani, but she was stopped by Hyelin grabbing onto Solji's broom and shaking her head. Solji composed herself with a huff and looked away.

Hyojin watched everything with a bemused look on her face. "What a fascinating little team we've got here…"

"Yeah…" Jeonghwa trailed off, watching the ice with a half-grimace, "Solji must be mad Hani isn't focusing."

Hyojin just laughed lowly to herself. "She sure looks mad, alright… This'll be fun."

* * *

Around an hour into the match, Hyojin and Jeonghwa were starting to lose interest by the slow pace of the game. They started chatting with each other to pass the time, and time flew by because of it. It had already reached the midway point of the match, but the two of them were so engrossed with their conversation that they hadn't noticed it. It took a rather loud voice to snap them back into reality after being lost in each other's orbit.

"Yah, Jeonghwa!" Solji shouted.

Jeonghwa jolted at the sudden voice and she turned towards the voice. The resting space for athletes off the ice was pretty close to the VIP section that she was in with Hyojin, so Team Heo was just on a lower level than where Jeonghwa was. At the voice, Hyojin instinctively covered her face with the mask and then turned towards Team Heo.

"Were you even paying attention this whole match?!" Hani growled, shaking her broom angrily, "Do you even know the score?!"

"Uhhh…" Jeonghwa quickly glanced over towards the scoreboard and read off the score listed there, "5-4?"

"Yah, that's the other match's score, idiot!" Hyelin shouted. Hani joined in.

Jeonghwa could only wince. She forgot multiple matches ran at the same time in the rink. She could hear Hyojin laugh at her misfortune, and she turned towards Hyojin, where she was able to tell how widely Hyojin was smiling despite the mask because of the ways her eyes absolutely lit up. Jeonghwa grinned at the sight; she had rarely seen such joy in Hyojin's eyes before.

Solji furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, resting her weight on one leg. "Did you bring a teammate along or something, Jeonghwa? Who's the girl?"

" _Uhhhh…_ " Jeonghwa's panic was more evident this time around. She turned to Hyojin for some help, but Hyojin simply waved at the three of them. Jeonghwa had to deal with that one on her own. "She's a, uhhh…. friend... You know what, I'll introduce you all properly later! Haha!"

Solji seemed utterly puzzled by that dodgy response, and Hyelin's reaction was similar. However, Hani was as astute as a brick wall, and she merely stepped closer to the divider that cut off the viewing section from the athlete area.

"I love your mask!" Hani said, a wide smile on her face, "Are you a fan of LE too?! Man, you're so lucky! I wanted one of the limited edition Hot Pink masks but they all sold out before I could get my hands on any of them!"

Jeonghwa's eyes shot wide and she glanced hesitantly towards Hyojin. Hyojin's eyes were just as wide when she looked Jeonghwa's way as well. Soon Jeonghwa regained her sense about her, and she just flashed a panicked smile towards Hani. "You all can bond about that stuff later! Your halftime break is almost over! Don't let us distract you!"

"You're acting really weird, Jeonghwa." Hyelin commented, but she suddenly caught herself, "Wait, when  _aren't_  you acting weird?"

"Ouch." Jeonghwa pursed her lips. She heard Hyojin laugh again and she swatted her arm to get her to stop.

Solji regarded the two of them strangely, but eventually she brushed the whole situation off. "Did you want to grab something to eat after this match is over? You can bring your friend along too, if you want."

"That sounds great!" Jeonghwa smiled widely, but she soon caught sight of Hyojin turning towards her with wide, incredulous, and enraged eyes, like she couldn't believe Jeonghwa just did that. "What? It'll be fun!"

"Great! Sounds like a plan!" Hani suddenly chimed in, "I'm always happy to meet another LE fan!"

Hyojin shook her head and lowered her face from view, placing her hand against her forehead. Jeonghwa completely ignored her. "Good luck with the rest of your match, guys! I believe in you!"

When Hani's back was turned away, Hyojin pulled down her mask for a brief moment. "Good luck." She said, figuring it to be polite to say that much at the least. She covered her face again when she saw Hani turn back around, and Hyojin waved them off alongside Jeonghwa.

Once it was just the two of them and they were in the clear, Hyojin slowly turned towards Jeonghwa, still in disbelief. "What on earth did you just do?"

"I made plans for a fun night!" Jeonghwa smiled and closed her eyes. She hoped that if she kept her eyes closed that she wouldn't have to see how angry Hyojin was at her.

"Keep an eye on that Hani." Hyojin couldn't stay angry for long, but she still sounded annoyed, "She'd blow my cover any day."

"Don't worry! I'll keep her in line!"

"I've never felt less convinced in my life."

"Now you're just being mean."

Hyojin cracked a smile at that. "Fine. If you trust them, I trust you."

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. I promise." Jeonghwa smiled back.

Glancing back out at the ice, Hyojin let out a long breath. "Now… Does that mean I have to get Hani one of these masks? I almost feel bad."

Jeonghwa just nodded with an apologetic smile. "Yeah. You're kinda bound now."

"I'm such a good idol." Hyojin praised herself, grinning faintly.

Jeonghwa threw her arms around Hyojin and rested her head on her shoulder, closing her eyes and drawing in a content inhale. "Yup! You're the best idol!"

Back on the ice, Solji, Hyelin, and Hani all looked over at Jeonghwa and the mystery girl, but they were standing further away.

"Did that girl look familiar to anyone else, vaguely?" Solji asked, narrowing her eyes to try and see Jeonghwa and the other girl better.

"She sounded kinda familiar too, when she wished us good luck…" Hyelin mused, rubbing her chin.

"I'm just glad she's an LE fan! I mean, yeah, sure, everyone knows and likes her music, but it's hard to find a true fan!" Hani was beaming with happiness as she spoke.

Solji looked over at Hani with narrowed eyes. "You're not going to try and flirt with her too, are you?"

Hani just sighed and shook her head. "Sheesh… If you ask me, it seems like you're bothered by all of my flirting!"

"I am." Solji shot back, "You should be focusing."

"Yah, yah. That's enough." Hyelin cut in, rolling her eyes.

"...Sorry." Hani glanced at the ground, "And… I'm sorry, Solji."

Solji let out a soft exhale, looking over at Hani. "It's okay. I'm sorry too."

"Aww. You two are finally making up." Hyelin flashed a snarky grin before walking off to get a drink of water.

At first, Solji wasn't that bothered, but suddenly she pointed at Hyelin and looked over at Hani. "Who made her the one in charge?"

Hani raised her hands in surrender. "Wasn't me."

Eventually Solji just smiled and shook her head. Hani couldn't help but grin either, looking at Solji.

"Does me flirting with the other team  _really_  get under your skin that badly?" Hani asked jokingly, "What, are you jealous, or something?" She laughed, finding the idea ridiculous.

Solji drew in a heavy inhale at that. "Cut it out… Come on, we need to get ready to play again."

Hani watched as Solji walked off, slightly confused. She rubbed at the back of her neck before she ultimately brushed it off, walking back onto the ice.

* * *

_Hyojin found a practice quiz for Jeonghwa's history class online and printed it out for Jeonghwa to check to see how well her studying was coming along. While Jeonghwa was working on the practice quiz, Hyojin finally found the concentration to work on her lyrics. She wrote a few isolated stanzas on a clean page, inspired by the idea of growing feelings for someone. She had no idea where that inspiration was coming from, she kept telling herself. Maybe she'd believe it someday. Better yet, maybe writing it out would make the stupid feelings go away._

_About thirty minutes or so into the quiz, Jeonghwa slammed her pen down and smiled widely, looking at Hyojin. "Finished!"_

_Hyojin looked up from her book and held her hand out for the paper. She pulled up the answers on her laptop and, coupled with what she remembered from the class last year, she graded Jeonghwa's quiz. It took her ten minutes or so, and when she finished, Hyojin pursed her lips and tilted her head._

" _Well." Hyojin began, carefully trying to find the words, "You got some right…"_

" _How many?" Jeonghwa asked, energy wavering by Hyojin's tone._

" _You got 13 points out of 20." Hyojin passed the paper back. Even she couldn't hide the sympathetic look on her face._

_Jeonghwa's shoulders sagged and she frowned, pouting out her lower lip. She looked the paper over before she just sighed, placing the paper aside and pulling her knees to her chest on the couch with a heavy groan._

" _Oh… Oh, don't do that…" Hyojin winced at the sight. She was really bad at comforting people, but her heart panged for Jeonghwa in that moment._

" _It's just… so hard…" Jeonghwa muttered under her breath. Soon, Hyojin could hear a sniffle or two coming from her._

_Hyojin's eyebrows knitted together out of sympathy, and not knowing what else to do, she shifted closer to Jeonghwa on the couch and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Come on… We have all night, don't we?"_

" _I'm already sick of this…" Jeonghwa shook her head, pulling her knees closer to her chest._

" _We can take a break." Hyojin wracked her brain for anything else she could say, "We just have to work on memorizing this stuff, alright? You'll live. When it comes to the more analytical stuff, I'll just tell you what all of it means. You won't have to come up with everything yourself."_

_Jeonghwa slowly lifted her head and turned towards Hyojin. Her eyes were red from crying, as was the rest of her face. "You're still gonna help me?"_

_Hyojin's expression fell when she saw the tears on Jeonghwa's face, but she forced herself to smile. "Yeah, so don't worry, okay? You'll be fine."_

_That finally got a smile out of Jeonghwa, and she sucked in a large breath to try and stop herself from crying. Hyojin reached out to wipe away Jeonghwa's tears with her thumb, and Hyojin nearly froze as she did so._

_It was only when Hyojin had both of her hands on either side of Jeonghwa's face, the both of them smiling faintly, did Hyojin realize just how bad she had it for this girl, and that it wasn't something she could just write away._

* * *

"If this goes south, I'm blaming you."

"That's fine. But try not to be so negative about it, okay? It'll be so much fun!"

"...Alright. Whatever you say."

Jeonghwa just smiled, knowing full well that she could persuade Hyojin with just a smile and a little excitement. She linked her arm with Hyojin's as they walked to where she and Solji had planned for them all to eat, leaning into Hyojin's side. Maybe it was because Jeonghwa still barely believed that Hyojin was back in her life, Jeonghwa always wanted to be touching her somehow. Just to prove that Hyojin was really there, or to make sure she wouldn't leave. Hyojin didn't seem to mind, so Jeonghwa took that as the green light to carry on.

Once they reached the restaurant, Hyojin slowed to a stop outside and met Jeonghwa's gaze. Jeonghwa flashed a small smile and held Hyojin's arm a little tighter, and that's all the push Hyojin needed to follow Jeonghwa inside.

They found the table with Solji and the others soon enough, and Solji was the first to notice them as they walked up to the table.

"Ah, there you are." Solji grinned, "So, can we finally meet this mystery girl now? You two seem to be awfully close."

Jeonghwa smiled back, unhooking her arm from Hyojin's. "Yup!" She walked over towards Hani and kneeled by her chair, covering Hani's mouth with her hands. Hani whipped her head towards Jeonghwa with furrowed eyebrows, yelling something muffled underneath Jeonghwa's hands.

"Sorry." Jeonghwa shot Hani an apologetic smile, "It was part of our compromise."

Now that Hani was effectively muzzled, Hyojin removed her mask, revealing herself in her full idol glory.

"YEEEOUCH!" Jeonghwa shrieked, pulling her hands away and gripping them, face contorted with a painful wince.

Solji looked over towards Jeonghwa with a concerned and shocked expression. "What happened?!"

"Hani bit me!" Jeonghwa shouted.

Hani's finger wavered unsteadily as she pointed at Hyojin. "Y-Y-Y-Y-You're…!"

"I'm going to stop you right there," LE sighed, lifting a hand to cut Hani off, "before you cause more of a scene than you already have."

Hani just closed her mouth and nodded, raising her hand to her forehead in a salute. LE just looked over at Jeonghwa and threw her arms to her sides, shaking her head incredulously.

"To be quite honest," Jeonghwa forced a smile, "this went a lot better than I imagined!"

"So that's why you two were being so sneaky and weird earlier." Hyelin nodded to herself. She seemingly was the only one keeping herself together in LE's presence. Turning to LE, Hyelin just waved casually, "Hey."

"Hey." LE said back, "Hyelin, right?"

Hyelin smiled and turned to Hani, smacking her in the shoulder. "Do you see that? Your hero knows  _my_ name."

"You must be Solji…" LE gestured towards the other woman, only getting a blank look from her. LE just brushed that off, turning back towards Hani, "And Hani."

Hani gasped when LE said her name, and a breathless whisper escaped her lips. "I love you."

"Thanks." LE commented dryly. She sat down next to Jeonghwa, opposite from the curling team who sat on the other side of the table.

Jeonghwa grinned now that everyone was introduced, and she leaned against the armrest closest to LE. "Well, in case you haven't caught on, this is my friend LE! We watched your match today!"

LE flashed a brief smile. "Congrats on the win, by the way. You guys played great."

"Thanks." Hyelin apparently was the only one who had the ability to talk between the three of them, "It's a pleasant change from our 0 for 3 record we had going on before the playoffs. I think we finally got over our nerves. Right, guys?" Hyelin looked at Solji and Hani. Solji just sat there with her arms crossed, staring at LE.

Hani had wide, starstruck eyes, also staring at LE. "I love you." She whispered again.

"Yes, Hani." LE sighed, "Thank you, Hani."

"Are you staying in Pyeongchang for the rest of the Olympics?" Solji asked. Her voice was flat, lacking its usual perkiness. Hyelin caught onto this, and she turned to Solji and stared at her with an odd look.

LE wasn't lost on Solji's strange behavior either. "I'm staying as long as my schedule allows, yeah." She replied, "I have some catching up to do with a friend from high school, after all."

Jeonghwa smiled at that, whereas Solji simply lowered her chin. "So, does that mean you two have made up?" Solji asked again.

LE narrowed her eyes at Solji, suspicious of Solji's motives. Before LE could open her mouth, Jeonghwa jumped in to stop LE from saying anything too harsh. "We reconnected, yes! Isn't it great? Not only are we lucky enough to be here at the Olympics, but we're finding old friends here too! It truly is an amazing place here, isn't it?!"

Solji finally removed her gaze from LE to look at Jeonghwa, and upon laying eyes on Jeonghwa and that happy expression of hers, Solji just had to soften up some. She flashed a smile and nodded. "It is, you're right. I'm happy for you, Jeonghwa."

Hyelin looked in between everyone, still utterly confused by how awkward and strange everyone was acting. She'd take it upon herself to change that, so she just turned towards LE and smiled, "We all had fun at your concert the other night, you know. Even Solji. Shocking, right? Hani and Jeonghwa were super drunk the whole time, too. That's why she tweeted you that really weird tweet."

LE grinned slightly at that too, turning towards Jeonghwa. "Yeah, that message was super weird. Hearing that you were drunk makes sense, though." She turned back towards Hyelin, "I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I worked really hard on it."

"You were stunning." Hani jumped in, still speaking in that really restrained whisper, "I love you."

Just to see what would happen, LE shot Hani a smile and replied, "I love you too."

Hani's eyes shot wide and she let out a gasp, covering her mouth. "Thank you… Thank you so much…"

"Aww." Hyelin looked at Hani, "That's not  _as_  awkward as every other exchange tonight."

Hani snapped out of her reverie for a moment and looked back at Hyelin, speaking into her ear. "Hey, don't blame me! It's Solji!" She whispered.

Hyelin shrugged. "You're not wrong."

LE planted her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her hands and focusing her gaze on Hyelin. "You  _have_  to tell me about drunk Jeonghwa. I'm dying to know the stories."

Jeonghwa swatted LE's shoulder, a panicked look on her face. "Aish… Let's not talk about that, okay?"

Hyelin mirrored LE's pose on the table, flashing a devious grin to match LE's own as well. "Oh, gladly."

"No, no!" Jeonghwa shook her hands frantically.

Hani snapped out of her drooling state again and turned towards Hyelin. "Wait, she's right! I'm directly involved in 80% of the drunk Jeonghwa stories!" That got a laugh out of Solji, who was otherwise silent through the exchange.

"Ignore them." LE grinned.

"Oh, I am." Hyelin shot back.

In that moment, there was a unison shout of "NO!" from both Hani and Jeonghwa.

* * *

The dinner went mildly well after that. Hani managed to open up after a few minutes of conversation, and Solji at the very least responded well to everyone except LE. Soon, once everyone finished eating, it came time for everyone to leave. Solji would be driving everyone back to the Olympic Village, sans LE.

"Are you sure you don't just want us to drop you off at the hotel?" Jeonghwa asked, still sitting beside LE.

"Don't worry, my driver should be here shortly." LE flashed a smile, "I'll see you sometime soon, alright? I'll even try and catch a match of yours."

Jeonghwa smiled at that, and she leaned forward and hugged LE briefly. "Alright, I'll see you soon!"

Hani hesitantly approached LE, holding a marker close to her chest. "U-Um… Miss LE… Ma'am… Can I ask a favor?"

LE looked up at Hani with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?"

Hani shoved the marker towards LE. "Could you please sign my forehead so I can get it tattooed forever?"

LE froze out of utter disbelief, but eventually she managed to push the marker back towards Hani. "I'm going to have to decline, and in ten years, you will thank me. Next time, bring something that's preferably not a part of your body and I'll be happy to sign it for you."

"'Next time?!'" Hani repeated. Suddenly she was filled with resolve and she firmly nodded her head, "Yes! Understood! Thank you so much!"

LE couldn't help but smile. She caught Solji's gaze for a moment, and LE noticed that it was pretty much a glare that she was receiving from the other woman. She merely brushed it off however, staying seated as she watched the others walk away.

That is, until Hyelin nearly left the table.

When Hyelin tried to walk away from the table to join the others, LE gently grabbed her wrist. Hyelin sent her a confused look, and LE simply gestured for Hyelin to have a seat again. Getting the hint, Hyelin looked back at Jeonghwa, Solji, and Hani. "You know what, guys? I think I'm gonna stay and celebrate a little longer. I'll call an Uber."

"Are you sure?" Solji asked, and immediately her gaze went to LE, suspicious. However, she couldn't stop Hyelin from making her own decisions. "Alright. Call me if you need a ride."

"Thank you." Hyelin nodded, watching as the others walked away.

Solji turned away and walked alongside Jeonghwa and Hani outside, where she led them to the nearest parking lot to find her car.

Jeonghwa was running her thumbs across the rest of her fingers out of nervousness, trying to muster the courage to speak up. "Solji, unnie…" She began hesitantly.

"What is it?" Solji asked. Her normal, friendly tone of voice was back.

"Why were you acting so strangely around Hyo-" Jeonghwa caught herself, "LE? Aren't you glad that we found each other?"

Solji let out a regretful sigh, eyes falling shut. "I really am glad, Jeonghwa. You seem so happy with her, but… Surely you haven't forgiven her entirely yet, have you? I just want you to be careful. Despite how close you two were once before, she cut you out of her life without a second thought. Who's to say it won't happen again?"

Jeonghwa just blinked, casting her gaze to the ground. "She wouldn't do that…" She whispered quietly.

Solji frowned. She truly did feel happy for Jeonghwa, but she wasn't sold on LE yet. "If I asked you in high school if you thought that LE would leave you without a word after she graduated, wouldn't you have said the same thing?"

Jeonghwa opened her mouth to protest, but she closed her mouth seconds later. Solji was right, as much as Jeonghwa hated to admit it. She had to be careful around LE, because Jeonghwa had no clue if LE would just leave her again. "...Alright. I'll be careful."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt, Jeonghwa. Not after how badly it hurt you the first time." Solji said, placing her hand on Jeonghwa's shoulder.

"Thank you…" Jeonghwa sighed, "I think she's changed, though…"

"Good. That's good." Solji flashed a smile, "Don't misunderstand me, Jeonghwa. I want to be proven wrong by the end of this. I want you to be happy, and if that's with LE being your friend again, then that's more than fine with me. It's only the second day since you've met her again. Don't get too hopeful so quickly, okay?"

Jeonghwa managed to smile back. Her gaze went to Hani, who was smiling to herself, off in her own little world. "Hani? How was it meeting LE?"

Hani just smiled, gaze on the ground. "I'm in love…"

Solji turned towards Hani with narrowed eyes. "Okay, now that's just getting annoying."

Jeonghwa could only let out a loud laugh.

Back in the restaurant...

Now that it was just Hyelin and LE, she turned to LE and crossed her arms, "Okay… You better have a good reason for costing me 30 bucks to call my own ride back to the Olympic Village."

"Don't worry about that." LE waved that off, "I'll take you back."

"Yeah, and don't you have your driver on the way? Do you want to keep him waiting?" Hyelin asked suspiciously, but she still slid into a seat across from LE.

"I lied. I never called him." LE said. Her collected demeanor was starting to vanish, "I, uh… really needed to talk."

"To me?" Hyelin repeated, "Who you've just met…" She checked her wrist even though she wasn't wearing a watch, "A whole hour ago?"

LE's shoulders sagged. "Yes. I need to talk about Jeonghwa, and my options were either the girl who glared at me the whole night secretly fantasizing about murdering me, the girl whose only words to me all night were 'I love you,' or you."

Hyelin was beginning to catch onto what LE was saying. "Ah, yeah… That makes a lot of sense. Okay, LE. What do you need to talk about?"

"Please, it's just Hyojin." She shook her head with a sigh.

"Right. Hyojin." Hyelin corrected herself, "Is something up with you two?"

Hyojin shrugged. "I'm just… concerned."

"About..?"

"Well, surely you've heard the stories. I wasn't exactly a great friend way back when. I was pretty mean to Jeonghwa the whole time we were friends, and then I stopped talking to her outright a few months after I graduated."

"Thank you for the summary, because I definitely did not forget the stories."

Hyojin actually grinned at that. "You're welcome. But… I don't want to make the same mistakes I did before. I think your friend Solji is just waiting for me to mess up and hurt Jeonghwa. I want to know how to be a good friend to her. You know, since I got it wrong so badly the first time."

Hyelin nodded along as Hyojin spoke. "I won't lie, I was in a similar boat as Solji when I heard what you did to Jeonghwa, but seven years changes a person. I wasn't going to be so harsh towards you just yet. I'm glad that you're taking this so seriously and not just expecting to jump back into Jeonghwa's life like everything was the way it was seven years ago."

Hyojin let out a soft hum, drumming her fingers on the table. "Thanks. I just don't want to mess this up again, and I don't know how to do this properly…"

"I think you need to be obvious that you still like her at the end of the day." Hyelin crossed her arms, "I think you're like us, we make fun of her a lot and it's all good fun, and you seem to have a similar sense of humor. But from what I've seen tonight, even though I know you probably didn't mean it… it's hard to tell whether or not you're joking. Jeonghwa was convinced you hated her all these years. Did you?"

"No…" Hyojin cast away her gaze, voice dropping to a whisper, "Never."

"I don't think you made that clear enough back in high school, then." Hyelin shrugged, "Jeonghwa's really sweet, and she puts up with a lot when it comes to her friends, but you have to remind her that you're friends. She needs that reassurance, I think."

Hyojin nodded, trying her best to follow. "Yeah… I know I didn't do a good job with that. In fact… I tried to convince her I hated her."

Hyelin furrowed her eyebrows at that confession, confused. Hyojin took this as a sign to explain, though she was hesitant in doing so. "So… I didn't really have friends in high school. Purposefully, mind you. I hated people."

"Shocker." Hyelin said in a dry voice.

"I know." Hyojin shot back, "So I genuinely didn't know how to handle having an actual friend when Jeonghwa crowbarred her way into my life. I tried to push her away, so I made it seem like I hated her."

"I feel like I have to ask again. Did you hate her?"

Shaking her head, Hyojin looked away and let out a shaky exhale before she continued speaking. "No… Quite the opposite, actually."

Hyelin drew in a large breath as everything started to make sense to her. "So you were scared?"

Hyojin merely scoffed. "Me, scared?" There was a pause. "...Yeah. I was."

"Well… I don't know what all help I could be with  _that_ … but when it comes to being her friend, just listen. Care. Remind her that you're friends. Be a bit gentle with her, too. She's strong, but I think she'd appreciate it. She certainly wouldn't panic over you hating her in that case." Hyelin even offered a smile after she finished speaking.

Hyojin nodded again, flashing a quick smile. She was sick of talking about her feelings and all that, so she pulled out her phone. "Let me call my driver, and I can get you back to the Olympic place thing-"

"Uh, yeah, no."

There was a pause and Hyojin slowly looked up at Hyelin with an eyebrow raised. "Don't you want to, like… get back?"

Hyelin looked at Hyojin as if she couldn't believe Hyojin wasn't catching on. "Uh…. I said I was staying to celebrate, so I'm gonna celebrate. And I expect you to pay after taking up my time like this." She still grinned, however.

Hyojin shot Hyelin a sly grin back, laughing under her breath. "I like the way you think… Alright, drinks on me."

Despite any voice in her head telling her not to, Hyelin caved into Hani's influence on her, singing softly, "I like the way you pink it." She let out a laugh.

Playing along, Hyojin rested her index finger under her nose like she was holding a mic. "You."

"I like the way you pink it!"

* * *

_Hyojin nearly brushed past seven different people in the halls when she tried to reach her study hall. It wasn't really her fault- yeah, she was stubborn and wouldn't move aside, but people were being strangely difficult that day. Or maybe Hyojin just felt this way everyday. That was probably more like it._

_She made a pit-stop at her locker, though she pretty much just stood there and checked her phone instead of exchanging a lot of books. She put a few away, sure, but she spent most of her time just standing there in front of her locker until the halls emptied. She made quite the habit of it, considering she liked the empty halls better and she hated being on time for class. About five minutes since the bell starting class, Hyojin finally made her way towards her study hall._

_Somehow miraculously timed with the dip between songs as she listened to music, Hyojin heard a voice calling her name. She could practically guess who it was, since she didn't talk to anyone else, but she still glanced over her shoulder to see who it was anyways. Jeonghwa was waving to catch her attention, holding papers in her hand. Hyojin felt knots form in her stomach when she saw Jeonghwa; this truly was becoming a problem, but she couldn't help it anymore. She could only compose herself as much as she could, praying that she didn't make it too obvious, though she was certain Jeonghwa was as observant as a brick wall._

" _What?" Hyojin said in a low voice, but she soon caught herself and winced at how much she forced herself to seem aloof._

_Jeonghwa came to a halt right in front of Hyojin, holding the papers close to her chest. There was a wide, bubbly grin on Jeonghwa's lips, and it sent Hyojin's mind running amok. "I got my midterm back!"_

" _You did?!" Hyojin's eyes widened at how excited her voice sounded, and she cleared her throat to compose herself, "How'd you do?" She asked in a much calmer voice._

" _I got a 78!" Jeonghwa held the paper out for Hyojin to see for herself._

_Hyojin read the grade at the top before slowly looking back up at Jeonghwa, unsure how to interpret the news._

" _I can still play! My grade is saved!" Jeonghwa closed her eyes and jumped, clenching her fists in a victory._

_Hyojin smiled faintly. A 78 to Jeonghwa was a godsend, but even though Hyojin tried to seem like a slacker, she would have freaked out if she ever got a 78 on an assignment._

" _And it's all thanks to you!" Jeonghwa exclaimed, running towards Hyojin and throwing her arms around her, hugging Hyojin tight, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"_

_The hug knocked the wind out of Hyojin, her arms hanging by her sides. She was so shocked at first that she didn't say or do anything, but rather she just stood there, feeling Jeonghwa's chin come to rest on her shoulder._

" _I mean it! Thank you for helping me study! You're the reason why I passed, I swear it!" Jeongwha tightened her grip around Hyojin._

_Between Jeonghwa's words and the tight, warm hug, Hyojin broke out into a smile, and she came to wrap her arms around Jeonghwa's waist, settling into Jeonghwa's hold and closing her eyes. "Don't mention it…" She tightened her grip around Jeonghwa as well, relishing in how those knots in her stomach slowly disappeared, replaced by a warm, floating feeling, like she was flying._

_But that feeling made Hyojin's eyes shoot open._

_This was a girl who Hyojin only knew for four months. This is a girl who Hyojin never wanted to be friends with anyway. This was a girl who forced her way into Hyojin's life and refused to leave._

_Hyojin was never supposed to like her, yet somehow she did, and somehow she still managed to feel more and more with every passing day, with every fleeting touch._

_Hyojin was never supposed to become friends with that annoying girl in her choir class._

_Hyojin certainly was never supposed to fall in love with Jeonghwa, either._


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyojin's fallen for Jeonghwa, that's squared away. Jeonghwa's feelings are much more complex, and she's rather interested in someone else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> college is over for the summer guys! be prepared for tons of updates. with chapter six done, the real plot thickens over the next two chapters. they've been the ones i've been most excited to write. hopefully you enjoy them!! for now, enjoy this update to bridge the gaps for the story's peak next!

As she walked through the chilly halls of the stadium, Jeonghwa heard her phone start to ring in her pocket. She had about twenty minutes before everyone had to gather in the locker room all dressed, so she had time to spare. Besides, she could tell who was calling her by the ringtone, and she'd  _make_  time in order to take that call.

Jeonghwa smiled as she lifted the phone to her ear. "Hyojin-ah, you're sure cutting it close." She teased.

"I know, I know." Hyojin breathed on the other line, "This was the only time I could get a break in rehearsals before your match."

"I'm not complaining too much." Jeonghwa leaned her back against the cool brick walls, still smiling to herself, "What's up?"

"Rehearsals are hell, but what's new about that." Jeonghwa could hear Hyojin's laugh. "I'm not too worried about the show, though. University concerts are always pretty relaxed."

"I hope your shows go well, though!"

"Thank you. I do too." There was a pause on the other line, with Jeonghwa able to hear Hyojin drawing in an unsteady breath. "I'm sorry I couldn't make your match tonight. I got added to these line-ups last minute," Hyojin paused, but when she resumed talking, her tone was bitter, "...without my knowledge, to top it all off."

Jeonghwa smiled faintly, twirling her hair with her fingers as she listened. "The idol life sure sounds rough."

"But… I'll be back after tomorrow's show. If you make it to the next rounds of the playoffs, I'll be able to make a match for sure." Hyojin laughed softly, "You better use that as incentive to make it through, alright? I want to watch one of your games live!"

"Of course!" Jeonghwa beamed, "I'll see you in the semi-finals!"

"Good luck today, Jeonghwa." Hyojin said, her smile nearly audible through the phone, "I'm rooting for you."

Jeonghwa stood up straight, pushing herself off the wall. "Thanks, Hyojin. I don't want my time at the Olympics to end just yet."

"I have a feeling it won't. You'll be just fine." Hyojin said softly, "I have to go. I don't think I can break from rehearsals any longer."

"I'll see you soon?"

"Definitely. Now get ready for your match, Captain! Korea wants a medal out of you!"

Jeonghwa let out a laugh. "I'll do my best! Catch you later!"

When Hyojin hung up, Jeonghwa slipped her phone back into her pocket with a large grin on her face. She made her way into the locker room to join the rest of her team, who were all getting ready.

Jiyoon caught sight of Jeonghwa as she came in, and Jiyoon raised an eyebrow upon laying eyes on Jeonghwa. "Hey, Cap. Did you go for a run to warm up, or something?"

Jeonghwa blinked a few times before shaking her head. "No… Why?" She glanced around nervously, "Was I supposed to…?"

Jiyoon shook her head. "No, your face was just red, that's all."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Jeonghwa opened her locker to glance in the mirror inside, catching how her cheeks were fairly red. She touched them hesitantly, noticing their warmth. "Mmm… Oh, you know what? I did jog back so I could get here faster. That must be it." She said to Jiyoon, lying through her teeth.

Jiyoon merely just shrugged that off, not thinking much of it.

Jeonghwa, however, turned back to the mirror. The red was fading and the warmth was subsiding, but it was unmistakable how it was there in the first place. The only thing that could've caused it was her conversation with Hyojin, but Jeonghwa didn't understand how a phone call would get such a reaction out of her. Jeonghwa ultimately chalked it up to her excitement for the match ahead, nothing else.

It was her first playoffs match. She had to focus, anyways.

* * *

_She had spent most of her skip day sleeping. Even though Hyojin never did anything in school, she was always so exhausted, and by the time skip day rolled around, Hyojin needed to catch up on some rest after how tired she had become. She blamed the people for being so exhausting. It was definitely their fault._

_Hyojin cursed herself for forgetting to turn her phone on silent, because her phone had been buzzing for a while now. Every time Hyojin nearly drifted off into her third nap of the day, she was jolted awake by the buzzing of her phone. Soon enough became enough, and when her phone buzzed again, Hyojin finally checked to see who was messaging her._

**[Troublemaker:] Hyojin-ah**

**[Troublemaker:] Hyojin-ah, I have a question**

**[Troublemaker:] It's kinda urgent**

**[Troublemaker:] I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything**

_Hyojin should have expected this. She was less mad than she expected to be, however. But she bitterly knew the reason why she wasn't mad. She finally opened Jeonghwa's messages, typing out her reply._

**[Hyojin:] im napping what is it**

_The reply she got was nearly instantaneous._

**[Troublemaker:] Sorry!!!!**

**[Troublemaker:] I don't want to bother you but would it be okay if I come over??**

**[Troublemaker:] My brother has his friends over and they're practicing stuff for band or whatever and they're being really loud :( I'm trying to study :(**

_Hyojin nearly whined at the incoming messages. What in her could possibly say no? She felt so bad._

**[Hyojin:] okay sure. im napping tho**

**[Troublemaker:] Thank you!!!! <3333**

**[Troublemaker:] I won't bother you!!!! Promise!!!!!!**

**[Hyojin:] dont mention it**

_Hyojin threw her phone over her shoulder, tossing it onto the chair near her bed. She figured that Jeonghwa would be over soon, and she'd made her way into Hyojin's room once she arrived. Even though she couldn't take the 'I won't bother you' at face value, Hyojin thought that she could still nap for a little while before Jeonghwa inevitably needed conversation. Hyojin didn't mind though. She'd at the very least listen to Jeonghwa talk about her day or whatever was on her mind. Hyojin came to like that._

_Closing her eyes, Hyojin rolled over on her bed, drifting off to sleep again._

* * *

Against the Japanese team, Jeonghwa and her team could play a lot more conservatively with their energy. It was a pleasant change of pace from the last match she had against the Canadians. She didn't have to push herself to such extremes and strain half of her muscles this time around. She still did her best, but she didn't sacrifice herself in the process.

South Korea was up 2-0 in the second period, and Jeonghwa spent a good portion of the game on the bench. Her coach recommended it since she was so banged up after the match against the Canadians, and when Jeonghwa practiced with Jiyoon, it was evident Jeonghwa still needed time to rest. Jiyoon was fulfilling her role as alternate captain nicely, and the South Korean team was doing much better in terms of morale and spirit.

But, Jiyoon was still Jiyoon at the end of the day, so when one of the Japanese players tripped her up with a stick to her skates, Jiyoon responded in kind with a few punches. Into the penalty box she went, leaving the South Korean team one man down and without their center. Jeonghwa recommended that the coach recall the current right-forward on the ice and put her in instead, confident that she could compensate for Jiyoon's absence on the ice.

Jeonghwa jumped down onto the ice, passing Jiyoon being escorted to the penalty box. They shared a moment's glance, and Jeonghwa just pursed her lips.

"Just had to use your fists instead of your words, huh?" Jeonghwa shook her head, though she meant it jokingly.

"Oh, I shared a few strong words with that chick." Jiyoon had the gull to smirk, "Don't worry."

Jeonghwa rolled her eyes playfully, approaching the faceoff spot on their side of the ice. Jeonghwa readied her stick, sizing up the other team's center and gauging their stance. They seemed to be very defensive, holding their stick tightly, so Jeonghwa figured they were expecting her to make a strong move. She'd work around that.

When the referee dropped the puck, Jeonghwa jerked her stick but otherwise didn't go for the puck, psyching the opposing team's center out. With that split-second window granted to her, Jeonghwa knocked the puck behind her, though her legs, to her team's defenders. From there, her defenders passed the puck to the left-forward, and the left-forward and Jeonghwa skated as fast as possible into the other team's side of the ice.

One of the Japanese players skated into Jeonghwa, trying to check into her shoulder to interfere with a pass between Jeonghwa and the left-forward. Jeonghwa countered this by pushing back with just as much force with her shoulder when she saw the player come at her. She freed herself from that interference, letting her receive the puck without much issue. Jeonghwa volleyed the puck back to one of the defenders, gauging the ice.

It felt good to finally be on equal footing with the other team. Jeonghwa felt like she was getting her confidence back.

* * *

_When Hyojin woke back up, she noticed how there was a blanket over top of her that wasn't there when she went to sleep. She took a fistful of the fabric in her hand, looking it over as her sleep-addled brain put two and two together. Hyojin pouted and let out a sigh because of the warmth that spread through her. That Jeonghwa was awfully sweet…_

_She turned towards the chair in her room, seeing Jeonghwa sitting there, a book and a notebook on her lap, tapping a pen against her chin. The rustling of the bed caused Jeonghwa to look up from her work, and instantly a smile appeared on her face and she took her headphones out of her ears._

" _Hey!" Jeonghwa greeted, closing her books, "How was your nap?"_

_Hyojin pushed herself up to a sitting position, eyes squinted from still being sleepy. "Not bad… How's the studying?"_

" _Torture. As always." Jeonghwa laughed uneasily._

" _Of course…" Hyojin said, slightly amused. Even though she had just spent all that energy sitting up, she laid back down already, closing her eyes. "How long have you been here?"_

_Jeonghwa pursed her lips in thought. "Mmm… Maybe an hour or so? You were out cold the whole time. It was also a little chilly in here, so I gave you a blanket. I hope you don't mind."_

" _No, no, you're fine." Hyojin spoke barely above a whisper, voice gruff from being half-asleep still, "You're so sweet…" Her eyes shot open the second she realized that she said that aloud._

_Jeonghwa didn't think much of it; rather, she just let out a giggle. "Thanks!"_

_Hyojin just shook her head, trying to snap herself back into reality. "I'm impressed you managed to work a whole hour… That's a record for you and your tiny brain." Now that was a more Hyojin-like comment from her._

" _Heehee, I know, right? I kinda want a break." Jeonghwa set her books aside on the floor beside the chair, "You know, I envy you. I kinda want a nap right now too."_

" _Then take a nap." Hyojin rolled onto her back, eyes still closed, "You're a kind-of-functional human being. You can make your own decisions."_

_Jeonghwa shrugged her shoulders at that. Hyojin could hear Jeonghwa shift and move, though she didn't know what Jeonghwa was doing since her eyes were closed, and she only found out when suddenly the weight on her bed shifted and there was a body near her side._

_Hyojin slowly opened her eyes, focusing her gaze on Jeonghwa with a glare. "I think you and I both know that this is_ not  _what I meant."_

" _I'm 'a kind-of-functional human being' who can 'make her own decisions,' and I decide that I want to sleep on a bed." Jeonghwa teased, smiling as she used Hyojin's own words against her._

_Hyojin cursed how either Jeonghwa knew that she could annoy her way into getting whatever she wanted or how Jeonghwa knew that Hyojin was only bite when it came to her. Hyojin really couldn't fight it. Secretly, she didn't want to either… "...Fine." She groaned, throwing the blanket over Jeonghwa as well, "I hope you don't snore."_

" _I won't." Jeonghwa hummed, emboldened by victory, "And thanks for the blanket. You're too nice to me."_

_Hyojin only growled at that, which got a laugh out of Jeonghwa. A few minutes passed, and Hyojin closed her eyes in order to try and drift off to sleep. It seemed as if that was asking for too much, because soon Jeonghwa turned over and pressed herself right against Hyojin's side._

_Slowly Hyojin turned her gaze towards Jeonghwa, letting out an exasperated breath. "What do you think you're doing?"_

_Jeonghwa let out a sleepy groan, eyes still squeezed shut. Her arm was wrapped around Hyojin's waist, and her head was resting right on Hyojin's collarbone. "Getting comfy…"_

_Rolling her eyes, Hyojin moved her arm pinned down by Jeonghwa, trying to get it out from underneath the girl. Jeonghwa felt this and groaned in protest. "Stop…"_

" _Don't be selfish." Hyojin shot back. She finally freed her arm from under Jeonghwa's body, and she then wrapped it around Jeonghwa's back. Hyojin got herself situated next to Jeonghwa in that new position. "Let me get comfy too."_

_Jeonghwa smiled faintly, settling at ease. She fell asleep shortly afterwards, and Hyojin smiled softly at the sight. Jeonghwa must've been exhausted after all that work she did. The whole hour of work._

_Once Jeonghwa was asleep, Hyojin noticed how some hair had fallen over Jeonghwa's eyes. Using her free hand, Hyojin gently brushed the hair behind Jeonghwa's ears, freeing her face for view. Hyojin couldn't help but notice how peaceful Jeonghwa looked with her expression so wholly relaxed, her lips parted ever so slightly. Hyojin's gaze remained on Jeonghwa's lips, thoughts filling her head about what would happen if she would just lean forward in that moment, pressing her lips to Jeonghwa's-_

_But she couldn't. Hyojin tore her gaze away from Jeonghwa, trying to reorganize her thoughts. Jeonghwa was just a friend. What would she say if she found out what Hyojin was thinking about her, was feeling for her, was wishing she could do to her? Hyojin didn't even want to consider the answer. She was too scared to think it._

_Eventually Hyojin just closed her eyes and rested her head against Jeonghwa's. She tried to keep her mind on anything else, like music, lyrics, her plans for the evening, whatever- just to avoid thinking about Jeonghwa._

_Sleep claimed Hyojin soon enough, and sure enough, her last thoughts were of that lovingly troublesome little brat._

* * *

South Korea headed into the third period leading the Japanese team 2-1. The time was running out, and the South Korean team's defense was comfortably handling the Japanese offensive. They could probably just wait to run out the clock, confident in their abilities to keep the Japanese team at bay, but Jeonghwa and Jiyoon weren't going to let up their shots on goal together, just in case they could extend their lead.

Jeonghwa was continuing her bad streak of missing her shots on goal. As a right-forward, she was a frequent scorer, but at the Olympics, something in her was choking. She either missed the goal outright, or, what she found more hurtful to her pride, she aimed a good shot but the goalie always caught or deflected it. Even when her aim cooperated, it seemed as if the universe wasn't on her side.

Jiyoon noticed how Jeonghwa's skills haven't been up to speed, so she had been sending the puck Jeonghwa's way far less than normal. While that meant that Jiyoon was doing her job well, not letting her previous duo-ship with Jeonghwa interfere with making smart decisions on the ice, Jeonghwa still found it incredibly frustrating. She found the whole situation frustrating. She just wished she could make a damn goal.

While in South Korean ice, one of the Japanese players attempted a shot on goal, but the South Korean goalie blocked the shot with the pads on her shins. The puck rebounded into play, and one of the South Korean defenders picked up the puck. The closest offensive player was Jeonghwa, so she received the puck from the defender and turned around to hurry towards the opposite side of the rink.

Along the way, Jeonghwa passed the puck to Jiyoon so that she could get into position for a shot on goal. However, while Jeonghwa was standing on the right quadrant of the ice, fairly open, Jiyoon passed the puck towards the left-forward instead. Jeonghwa scrunched her nose for a brief moment, disappointed, but she had to think about it objectively. It was the smarter move.

However, the left-forward raised her stick and attempted a shot on goal, but she missed the goal post, with the puck going too far to the right. Jeonghwa rushed towards the puck since it was on her half of the ice in the corner of the rink, trying to keep the puck in her team's control. There were a few Japanese players on her tail, so turning around wasn't an option. It wasn't her ice, but Jeonghwa rushed towards the puck and would try and circle the full way around the back of the goal post to return it to the left-forward or Jiyoon.

Jeonghwa had moved pretty fast to pick up the puck immediately after it missed, so it seemed as if the goalie hadn't quite caught on to the puck's position or what the players had planned for it. A quick, curious glance towards the goal post told Jeonghwa that there was a slight gap between the goalie and the inside of the net on the left side of the ice where she was racing towards. Using that opening to her advantage and in a split-second decision, she pushed the puck between the goalie and the post in the corner of the net in a sneak attack on goal when Jeonghwa finished circling behind the net.

The sneak attack must've worked, because the loud siren wailed throughout the stadium once Jeonghwa pushed the puck towards the gap, so the goal counted. Jeonghwa's face lit up in a wide grin, and soon the rest of the South Korean team came around and surrounded Jeonghwa, pulling her into a huge team hug.

Jiyoon pushed down on Jeonghwa's helmet before throwing her arm around Jeonghwa's shoulders. "You  _finally_  got one in, huh?"

"I know, right?" Jeonghwa giggled, "Took forever!"

Jiyoon smiled a toothy grin back. "I'm gonna bench myself. You think you can keep us in the lead for…" She glanced at the clock, "two more minutes?"

Jeonghwa nodded. "Yup! You rest up, I'll take it from here!"

As play resumed after the goal celebration, Jiyoon skated back to the bench, with a replacement center jumping out to take the ice. The players all skated towards the center of the ice for the faceoff, and from there, Jeonghwa addressed her fellow players.

"There's only two minutes left, but don't go easy." Jeonghwa said with a nod, voice firm, "They'll be playing as desperately as possible. Don't give them any openings to tie up the game."

"Yes, Cap!"

Jeonghwa smiled to herself, taking position behind the center player for faceoff. The excitement from winning a playoff match was coursing through her, and knowing that she was one of the players who scored a goal responsible for the win only strengthened her excitement. She just had to lead her team for a little longer until they were confirmed for the next round.

Jeonghwa felt like herself again on the ice.

* * *

_Hyojin didn't know how she was talked into this. The fact that she was again victim to Jeonghwa's charms aside, Hyojin never would have imagined herself at an ice-skating rink in a million years. She looked just as embarrassing as she knew she would._

_She was laying on her back, sprawled out on the ice, staring at the ceiling of the rink. She had been there since she fell for the God knows how many times, just questioning life in general. The whole 'balance on one thin piece of metal under your feet' concept was lost on her fully. How was someone supposed to balance themselves on narrow pieces of metal? Did they think that through at all? How could Jeonghwa do this on a daily basis?_

_Speaking of Jeonghwa, she kneeled down to Hyojin's side, nudging her stomach to rouse her from her utter dissociation. "Hyojin-ah…" She began hesitantly, "Everyone's starting to stare…"_

" _Let them." Hyojin growled tersely, though her scarf muffled her words._

_Jeonghwa pouted out her lips, upset that Hyojin was upset too. Eventually she just held out her hand for Hyojin. "Look… I know you insisted that I keep my hands off you and let you learn on your own, but what if I give you a little guidance, huh? That way we can both have fun!" Jeonghwa flashed a smile, hoping that it would change Hyojin's mind._

_Hyojin frowned, knowing full damn well that if she turned to look at the smile she could just hear in Jeonghwa's words, she'd give in and change her mind on the spot. Closing her eyes to try and keep some dignity about her, Hyojin took Jeonghwa's hand and let Jeonghwa pull her to her feet. Hyojin's feet started sliding under her, but Jeonghwa grabbed Hyojin's arms to keep her stabilized._

_When Hyojin was finally steady on her feet, Jeonghwa smiled again, meeting Hyojin's gaze. "Not too hard, right? Do you see how you need to shift your weight to stay balanced now?"_

_Hyojin nodded slowly, averting her gaze to her feet. At least she kinda had a reason to look down to her feet, and not just because she couldn't hold Jeonghwa's gaze when her hands were all over her. "So far, so good…"_

" _Will you let me guide you?" Jeonghwa asked. She leaned forward slightly, lessening the distance between her and Hyojin._

_Looking back up at Jeonghwa, Hyojin noticed the smile she wore on her lips: eager. soft. warm. Oh god. Hyojin merely let out a heavy breath, trying to make herself sound uninterested. "Suit yourself."_

_Jeonghwa moved her hands down Hyojin's arms to hold her hands, and slowly Jeonghwa skated backwards, pulling Hyojin with her. Hyojin's balance nearly gave out, but her tether on Jeonghwa kept her upright. Neither of them were wearing gloves, what with Jeonghwa used to the cold and Hyojin not being that invested to bring any. Hyojin held tightly onto Jeonghwa's hands to stay upright, but soon Hyojin was able to glide on the ice while Jeonghwa pulled her along without much issue._

" _Good, that's good!" Jeonghwa grinned, "Now try and push with your feet. You don't have to push too hard. A little goes a real long way."_

_Looking down at her feet, Hyojin slowly started to push off and skate, letting the blades graze over top of the ice. When Hyojin started to get the hang of it, Jeonghwa let go of one of her hands and joined Hyojin by her side, skating beside her._

" _Look at you, looking like a real pro out there!" Jeonghwa laughed. Her fingers had slipped in between Hyojin's and she was swinging their arms back and forth as they skated._

_Hyojin was still incredibly focused on every move she made on the ice, but otherwise she wasn't doing too bad. She kept that tight hold on Jeonghwa's hand, however. "I'm just waiting to make my Olympic debut like this." She joked in a deadpan._

_Jeonghwa laughed again. "Hey, maybe we'll be there together!"_

_Hyojin rolled her eyes, but she flashed a grin for a moment. Despite the cold temperature of the rink, her hand where it touched Jeonghwa's skin felt like it was burning. She wanted to let go for her own sanity's sake, but she also did need that balance that Jeonghwa gave her. She didn't want to give up that chance to hold onto Jeonghwa's hand either, deep on the inside._

_Looking ahead, Jeonghwa noticed how they were running out of rink to skate on, and that they would have to turn around and head up the other way. "Do you think you can manage a turn?"_

_Hyojin took that as a challenge, and she straightened out her back and let out a determined breath. "Duh."_

_But she really couldn't manage a turn. She tried to lessen the weight on her one side so she could push off more with the other so she'd change directions, but she overestimated how much weight she needed to take off her one leg. Hyojin's balance gave out and Jeonghwa noticed too late to catch her, and when Hyojin fell, her tight tether on Jeonghwa dragged the both of them down._

_Hyojin hit the ice first, falling onto her side and soon rolling onto her back. Jeonghwa fell right over top of her, chest-to-chest with Hyojin._

_Hyojin slowly opened her eyes, having her wits knocked out of her because of the fall. Placing her hands on the ice, Jeonghwa pushed her upper body up slightly, still reeling a bit from the fall as well. She laughed nervously, trying to play it off. "Okay, maybe we need to do a little work on the turns."_

_Meeting Jeonghwa's gaze, Hyojin realized the position they were in, and she pushed Jeonghwa off of her, sitting up on the ice and shaking her head. Jeonghwa stood up first, and she reached out a hand for Hyojin again. Hyojin bitterly knew she needed help getting up, so she took Jeonghwa's hand to pull herself to her feet. She immediately tore her hand away once she was upright, but Jeonghwa had grabbed onto Hyojin's arms._

" _You good there, Hyojin?" Jeonghwa asked, stabilizing Hyojin just to be safe, "Nothing broken?"_

_After a second's pause, Hyojin just furrowed her eyebrows and pushed Jeonghwa away, brushing herself off and starting to skate again. "I'm fine." She said, voice harsh._

_She didn't need to turn around to know Jeonghwa was probably frowning at Hyojin's sudden change in behavior, hurt. Hyojin couldn't help it, though. Everywhere Jeonghwa touched, Hyojin felt like she burned. She needed to keep Jeonghwa away from her own sanity's sake. Besides, Jeonghwa didn't stay upset for long, and she skated to catch up with Hyojin and stay by her side._

_Jeonghwa could take it. Hyojin had let Jeonghwa grow too used to that touchy-feely part of their relationship, and she needed to set boundaries again. She couldn't keep letting Jeonghwa think it was okay, when really every touch felt like excitement mixed with torture, with torture ultimately prevailing over the excitement in the end._

_Hyojin realized, for her own sake, she had to put those walls back up and keep Jeonghwa out._

* * *

After Hyojin's set at the university performance, she briefly checked her phone while she walked backstage. She only had one notification on her lockscreen, and she received it only minutes ago.

_**[♡Troublemaker♡:] WE WON!!!!!!! :D** _

A smile broke out on Hyojin's lips as she read the message, and even though she was pressed for time, she still typed out a quick reply.

_**[Hyojin:] Congrats, Captain ♡ I'll call you once I'm done here xxx** _

It seemed like Hyojin still had a chance to watch one of Jeonghwa's matches. Her smile widened as she locked her phone and slid it into her pocket, walking through the backstage area and still grinning despite some of the weird stares she got.

* * *

Jeonghwa had stopped by Hani's suite once she was back in the Olympic Village following her match so the four of them could all celebrate their playoff wins. They were eating so much food, especially junk food and sweets, and drinking to celebrate. Jeonghwa animatedly recounted the story of her first Olympic goal, definitely sprucing up some of the details, but Solji, Hyelin, and Hani all excitedly listened along. They also shared some stories from practice with Jeonghwa, specifically how they had to start over because Hani slipped and fell into Solji, falling into the house and knocking the stones everywhere. Hani just laughed while Hyelin told the story, Solji shaking her head but with a hint of a grin on her lips regardless, saying 'well, at least it wasn't during a match,' and so forth.

Sometime during the night, during a bit of downtime during conversation, Jeonghwa's phone started ringing, revealing a rather interesting ringtone.

" _No, no, boy, no more…"_

"Ah, sorry guys… I should take this." Jeonghwa flashed an apologetic smile, swiping her screen to answer the call. The ringtone stopped playing once Jeonghwa answered the call, causing Hani's off-key rapping along to the lyrics to reveal itself without the music concealing it. Solji and Hyelin just laughed, with Solji nudging Hani's shoulder, getting a smile out of Hani.

"Hyojin-ah!" Jeonghwa beamed, wrapping her free arm around her stomach, "How did the performance go?"

"I'd say it went pretty well." Hyojin replied, "I wouldn't say it went as well as your match did, obviously…" She teased, letting out a laugh.

Jeonghwa giggled at that, swaying slightly as she listened to Hyojin talk. "Yeah… Tonight went  _super_  well. We're making it to the semis!"

"I hope you're celebrating well, then."

"I am! I have Hani, Solji, and Hyelin all with me now. We're celebrating how all of us made it to the semis!"

"You're with them now, huh?" Hyojin's voice sounded as if she got an idea, "Could you put me on speaker for a sec? I got some news."

"Sure thing!" Jeonghwa lowered her phone from her ear and pressed speaker, "Guys! LE wants to speak to you!"

"Heeyeon?" LE asked, "Are you there?"

"YES!" Hani shouted, though she soon cleared her throat to compose herself, "I mean… Yes, Miss LE. I am right here. Do you need anything, perchance?"

"Perchance…?" Solji repeated, looking at Hyelin, who only shook her head and shrugged.

"Keep on the lookout for my fansites posting from my performance tonight." LE said, "After my set, I was prompted to talk a little bit about the Olympics. I think you'll like what I had to say."

Hani nodded, clenching her fists from excitement with a wide smile on her face. "I will! I have the notifications set up for whenever they post something, and I haven't gotten anything yet… But as soon as they post, I'll look at it! You have my word!"

"You have notifications for it-" LE cut herself off. Best not to question it. "Right. Like I said, I think you'll enjoy it."

"I'm sure I will!" Hani grinned.

"Hey, Jeonghwa.. When's your semi-finals match supposed to be?" LE asked next.

Jeonghwa tapped her chin. "Uh… Saturday, I think. Yeah, 'cause we're up against Sweden."

"Saturday, huh? Alright, I'll make that for sure."

"We'll be there too!" Hyelin chimed in.

"Aww, look. You have a crowd of fans, Jeonghwa." LE teased with a laugh, "I'll see you guys there then. Even you, Solji."

Solji just furrowed her eyebrows, responding in a dull voice. "Fantastic."

That got a low, loud laugh out of LE. "I won't hold up your celebration much longer. Have fun tonight. Don't let Jeonghwa do anything stupid while drunk."

"We won't." Solji shot back.

"We will." said Hyelin at the exact same time.

"I love you!" Hani shouted in goodbye.

Jeonghwa just laughed, turning the phone off speaker and raising it to her ear again. "I'll see you soon, okay? Good luck with your performance tomorrow!"

The phone call ended soon after that, and Jeonghwa focused back on everyone else. "Sorry about that!"

"No worries. It's good to hear LE's doing well." Hyelin grinned some. She started to pour herself another drink. "I don't know about you guys, but I could sure go for a movie right now."

"Sounds perfect!" Solji smiled, and she worked her way over to the couch and turned on the TV. "I'll look for one."

While Hyelin joined Solji on the couch, Jeonghwa was going to join but she was stopped by Hani suddenly squealing. Jeonghwa looked over at Hani, who was glancing down at her phone with a stupidly large grin on her face.

"The fancams are up!" Hani beamed, "I have to watch them like LE asked-"

"Not out here, you're not." Hyelin cut in, "It's movie time."

"That's fine! I'll just go into my room and scream!" Hani smiled and gladly marched her way to her room so she wouldn't be bothering the rest of them.

Jeonghwa, meanwhile, just stood still, watching as Hani walked away. This caught Solji's attention, and she looked at Jeonghwa with an eyebrow raised. "Are you going to join us?"

"Actually…" Jeonghwa's gaze flickered to Solji and Hyelin for a moment, "I'm curious about this fancam stuff. I'll join you once we're done!"

Hyelin shrugged while Jeonghwa chased Hani into the other room, merely making herself comfortable on the couch. "Her loss."

"You said it." Solji said into her glass as she raised it to her lips.

When Jeonghwa followed Hani into her room, she climbed onto the bed next to where Hani had already made herself comfortable. Seeing how Jeonghwa had joined her, Hani moved her phone between them so Jeonghwa could get a good look at it.

"I'm just gonna play the whole concert before her comments afterwards, okay?" Hani phrased it as a question, but Jeonghwa knew that there was only one answer to that.

"Sure! I want to familiarize myself with her music, anyway." Jeonghwa smiled, resting her chin on her folded arms and kicking her raised legs in time with the beat.

To start her set, LE performed an upbeat 90s throwback song, sounding like something Jeonghwa would hear if she turned on one of the older radio channels. LE was joined on stage with a ton of backup dancers for the song, and they were all dancing to a complex, fast choreography. Of course, LE looked amazing. Jeonghwa couldn't keep her eyes off of her. She looked so happy when she performed that song… It brought a smile to Jeonghwa's face.

"This one is called 'Lady.'" Hani said in a quiet voice, glancing towards Jeonghwa, "It's her most recent release. It's really different from her normal stuff."

"She looks really happy performing it." Jeonghwa said, growing cheery, "I'm glad!"

Hani nodded and looked back at the phone. Lady soon transitioned into a different song, and almost immediately Jeonghwa choked on air watching the choreography for the new song. Lots of hip movements. Lots and lots of hip movements.

"And this is 'Up & Down.' It's the song that rocketed her into fame." Hani said, "Everyone loved the dance. It was a fad."

Jeonghwa just nodded, gulping, unable to move her eyes from off the screen. She wondered if it was a bad thing that she was just watching every pop and move of LE's hips. There was such a mastery to each move, with LE just flowing with charisma with every movement, a born natural talent for such dances. It was a bit shocking to Jeonghwa; she would have never expected Hyojin to be so good at these sorts of dances. She wasn't complaining, however. LE was a natural.

If her reaction to Up & Down was bad, then DDD made things infinitely worse. The slow, tantalizing shake of LE's hips, the bounces, the body rolls, the music itself… It was thrilling. Jeonghwa felt her cheeks grow hot the more she watched, and when her jaw dropped from pure awe at the charisma LE exuded with her moves, Jeonghwa didn't notice and she didn't jump to close her mouth. She just watched, in awe, in amazement. Everything felt warm. How did choreography like this not get banned…? It felt too racy… It made Jeonghwa feel racy.

When DDD faded out and LE's set came to a close, Jeonghwa still had that shocked expression on her face. It took her a few moments to snap out of it, and when she did, she could only react in one way semi-intelligently. "...Hot."

"I know, right?" Hani grinned, "Do you see why I like her so much now?"

"I, well, yeah…" Jeonghwa's brain still felt like it was short-circuiting. She leaned closer towards the phone and squinted her eyes. Was that really her Hyojin? Jeonghwa couldn't believe that Hyojin was capable of having that much charisma and attractiveness to her. LE was really something else.

While Jeonghwa was lost in her thoughts of LE, Hani continued to watch the fancam of LE's performance and the comments portion. When LE started to talk about the Olympics and her headliner concert, suddenly Hani was filled with excitement, and her eyes lit up, knowing this was what LE told her to look out for. LE was prompted to say what events she was most excited to see, and she said that she was really excited to watch curling, and that everyone should support the South Korean curling team, who had their first playoffs win. Hani gasped from shock and turned towards Jeonghwa, smiling widely and shoving Jeonghwa's shoulder.

"Did you hear that?! She gave us a shout-out!" Hani beamed, "Us! The curling team! Not the hockey team! She loves us more!"

Jeonghwa was still in her daze, but she briefly was able to smile for Hani. "That's great!" She reached out for Hani's phone, snapping back into her daze, "Hey… Let's watch more fancams…"

Hani could only laugh. "Looks like we got a new Leggo…"

"Yeah, just play the fancams, please. Preferably of DDD or Up & Down. Thank you."

Doing as asked, Hani pulled up a few of her favorite fancams to show Jeonghwa. "I hear you on wanting to watch DDD or Up & Down, but how about Hot Pink with LE in a skintight black leather catsuit?"

Jeonghwa just blinked. "That works too."

Hani laughed to herself while she played the fancam for Jeonghwa, and Jeonghwa just watched, and she probably didn't even blink a single time during each performance. Soon she came to bury her face in her hands, eyes still on the screen but otherwise trying to cover her face. This was a foreign experience for her, and she did her best to separate Hyojin from it. No, Jeonghwa never found Hyojin attractive like that. Yeah, Hyojin was conventionally very attractive, Jeonghwa could admit it. But there was something about LE, the performer, that just  _got_  Jeonghwa and had her feeling some type of way. Jeonghwa could feel her mouth going dry and her face growing hotter the more she watched LE's performances.

God. Jeonghwa just  _had_ to have the hots for LE.


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fighting is not behavior fit for a captain."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the first half of the chapters i've been looking forward to the most! be careful though. it might just be SLIGHTLY painful to read.

Hyelin texted her the seating info for the match, and LE slowly worked her way through the stadium, trying to find her way to the right seating area. Once she thought she had the right section, she headed towards the rink. Hyelin told her that they got seats right by the glass on one of the right corners, so they'd be in a perfect position to watch Jeonghwa for two of the three periods.

LE found the three of them soon enough, and she tugged her mask down to her chin when she walked to her seat- a seat, she realized, was right next to Solji. Someone did that on purpose. "Finally, I found this place…" She muttered, setting her stuff down and taking a seat.

"There's only two right corners to any rink." Hyelin countered, "It couldn't have been that hard."

"Yeah, got that, but the section lettering and numbering system is difficult to any newbie hockey fan." LE explained. She crossed her legs and ran a hand through her hair, finally able to relax.

Solji turned her head towards LE, the first she had acknowledged LE since she sat down. "'Newbie hockey fan'?" She repeated, "Haven't you ever seen Jeonghwa play before?"

"Once." LE admitted, earning a strange, judgmental look from Solji. Ignoring that entirely, LE leaned forward a bit so she could look at Hani, who was sitting the furthest away from her. "Heeyeon-ah, while I was gone, I managed to get my hands on some of that 'sold-out' Hot Pink gear."

Hani's eyes lit up and she covered her hands with her mouth. "You did…?"

LE reached into her bag and pulled out a black mask with the word 'stop' written on it in pink letters, which she passed over to Hani. "If anyone asks, you got this before it sold out, okay?"

As respectfully as possible yet still retaining her excitement, Hani snatched the mask out of LE's hands and admired it. She soon put it on and turned to Hyelin next to her, smile visible in her eyes. "Push, push, work it out, don't stop, hey, work it out!"

Hyelin crossed her arms and shimmied her shoulders to the beat, imitating the dance in her seat. It got a laugh out of Hani, and soon Hyelin joined in the laughter.

Solji watched this with curiosity, and she soon turned back to LE. "You got that for her just because she was upset they all sold out before she could buy one?"

LE nodded as if there wasn't any other answer. "I mean, yeah. I knew I was gonna see her again so I figured I'd give it a shot and look for any extras my company might have had. If all else went south, I would've just given her my own."

"Really?" Solji asked, eyebrow raised.

"I don't need it. I'd rather my fans be happy." LE shrugged, leaning back in her seat, "I can't possibly go out of my way for every single fan, but I'll do it for as many as I can manage. The least I can do."

Pressing her lips into a tight line, Solji turned her head away and let out a soft hum. It was a side to LE she wasn't expecting to see, but she was pleasantly surprised by it. LE focused her gaze on the ice, searching for Jeonghwa among her teammates.

Jeonghwa wasn't yet on the ice, but rather she was standing with Jiyoon by the bench, discussing strategy.

"I'm telling you, Cap, we've been up against these girls before. They play dirty." Jiyoon protested, crossing her arms and leaning against a wall, "We got to show them that we're not gonna let them push us around. We need to fight back."

Jeonghwa pursed her lips. She didn't want to be arguing with Jiyoon, but she wanted to hold her ground as captain about what she thought was best. "If we hit them with a hard offensive and defensive, that should send the message across. I don't think actively promoting fights is the best idea."

"I'm not saying we should just punch these girls for breathing, even though I kinda want to." Despite the fact they were arguing, Jeonghwa cracked a smile at Jiyoon's words. "I'm just saying, if they try boarding us like they did before, then we shouldn't let that stand. Are you saying I shouldn't fight?"

"I know I can't stop you. Besides, we need someone who is  _willing_  to fight for the intimidation factor, and that's you. Dragging everyone else into it might drive us into too many power plays and cost us the game." Jeonghwa frowned.

Jiyoon frowned as well. Reaching a compromise would be tough like this, but she figured she'd at least try. "We'll try your way for the first period. If that doesn't work, we're going my way for the rest. And if we  _do_  do it my way, I just want you to have my back, Cap."

Letting out a sigh, Jeonghwa glanced away, not wanting to look Jiyoon in the eye. "You know I don't fight."

"I'm not saying you got to throw down. I just want you to intimidate them back, you know? Ward them off."

Eventually Jeonghwa just nodded. She could settle with those terms. "Alright, but we only move to your idea with  _my_  approval, alright? I'm still the captain. I don't want my players getting hurt, including you."

"Alright, Cap. It's a plan." Jiyoon nodded.

Jeonghwa smiled and put on her helmet to get ready for the game that was set to start. "Great! Don't worry, we beat these girls once before. We can do it again!"

Jiyoon flashed a smile back and made her way onto the ice. "Right!"

To warm up some, Jeonghwa skated around the ice, and she soon rounded one of the corners where LE and everyone else was sitting. Jeonghwa smiled brightly and waved at them while she skated past, her excitement visible even behind her full helmet. LE and Solji both waved back at her, whereas Hyelin and Hani both cheered Jeonghwa's name in support. Jeonghwa skated the rest of the way to catch up with her team with a faint grin on her face, knowing that everyone was there to support her.

After a few minutes, the game finally began. Jeonghwa was among the starting players, with Jiyoon benched for the time being, and Jeonghwa would set the tone of the game for the rest of her team. From what Jeonghwa could gauge from the first few minutes of the game, the Swedish team was playing aggressively, but they weren't doing illegal checks like the last time they played. Jeonghwa considered that a good thing, but she wasn't going to be too careful.

A good portion of the first period had passed, and the Swedish team was still cooperating. Jeonghwa wondered if this was because this was a playoffs game and they wouldn't jeopardize their chances using illegal moves to get into the finals. Whatever the reason, Jeonghwa didn't press it for long. She was too worried trying to manage her team to analyze the reasons too much.

Under Jeonghwa's leadership, the South Korean team was playing aggressively to counter the Swedish team. While in South Korean ice, Jeonghwa saw one of the enemy forwards get the puck that slid around the edge of the rink. Taking advantage of the forward's divided attention and position near the board, Jeonghwa skated towards her and checked her into the wall, snatching the puck from her and passing it to one of her teammates. With the puck in South Korean control, they made their way to the other side of the rink.

In the seats, Hani and Hyelin were pointing at the large LED screen hanging over the ice. They had large grins on their faces and they were holding onto each other excitedly, and suddenly they started counting down.

"Ten! Nine!"

Solji raised an eyebrow at how strange Hani and Hyelin were acting, and she turned to LE questioningly. "Do you know what in the world they're counting down for? There's still a good bit of time left in this period."

LE could only smirk, suppressing a laugh as she leaned closer to Solji. "I'm pretty sure they're counting down until the clock reaches four minutes and twenty seconds."

"Now why on earth would they be doing that-" Solji was cut off by Hani and Hyelin finishing their countdown and shouting excitedly, and Solji caught sight of the clock. 4:20. "...Oh. I get it now."

LE just laughed to herself, and her attention went back to the game, just in time to watch South Korea in control of the puck.

After a few volleys of the puck in Swedish territory, Jeonghwa figured she'd try her hand at a shot, so she reeled her stick back and knocked a slapshot towards the goal. The puck rocketed into one of the upper corners of the net, causing the sirens to fill the whole stadium.

LE and Team Heo all shouted once Jeonghwa scored the goal, with Hyelin and Hani cheering 'Hot Body' to celebrate. The rest of the South Korean team all surrounded Jeonghwa to celebrate as well.

When play resumed following Jeonghwa's goal, the opposing team got the puck and went into South Korean ice. Jeonghwa followed, hoping to be able to scoop the puck out of Swedish control near the wall, but when she did so, suddenly one of the Swedish players came to the aid of the one Jeonghwa was blocking, and she slammed Jeonghwa right into the wall, digging her elbow into Jeonghwa's stomach.

All the breath left Jeonghwa at once and she let out a sharp gasp at the pain that overwhelmed her body. When the Swedish players stole the puck and continued playing, it took Jeonghwa a few seconds to peel herself off the wall, since Jeonghwa's mind went blank at the blow she received. Using the few beginning moments of clarity to look at the referees, Jeonghwa noticed how they didn't even look at her, and they definitely didn't call the Swedish player on her illegal, violent check and elbowing.

It seemed like the Swedish players hadn't changed. They were just waiting for a target.

And Jeonghwa put that target on her own damn back.

* * *

_During last period study hall, an announcement came over the intercom system, saying how tickets for the end-of-year dance were on sale, limited for junior and senior students only. Hearing this news, Jeonghwa turned around to face Hyojin, a smile on her face._

" _Are you going to get tickets?" Jeonghwa asked, the excitement obvious in her tone._

_Hyojin didn't even look up from her notebook. "Nope."_

" _What? Why?" Jeonghwa tilted her head, "It's your last year of school. Don't you want to go for the memories?"_

" _Not exactly. I don't want memories of all the terrible people here." Hyojin let out a bored sigh._

_Jeonghwa just frowned. "Oh… I was kind of thinking we could go together and celebrate your last dance…"_

_Hyojin's gaze snapped up from her notebook at Jeonghwa, Hyojin caught entirely off-guard. "You… what?" She certainly didn't like the way her chest suddenly felt tight at that._

" _You know how friends go together for these things, right? When they can't find dates?" Jeonghwa clarified. Hyojin let out a relieved sigh and slumped her shoulders. "I figured you wouldn't want to go looking for a date, and I don't particularly want one either, so I thought we would go together like friends do!"_

_Scratching at the back of her neck, Hyojin kept her gaze off of Jeonghwa. "Yeah… I really don't plan on going. Don't let me stop you if you want to go, though. I know you have other friends in your grade."_

_Jeonghwa hummed half-commitedly at that. "Mmm… True, but I don't particularly feel like…" She took a moment to count, "Eleventh-wheeling?"_

_Hyojin nodded, pursing her lips. "...That's rough." She sighed, "I was just going to spend the night at home. You know, like always."_

_Suddenly Jeonghwa got an idea, and her expression lit up at the thought. "Hey! What if we have our own little party! That way you have at least one good memory before you graduate!"_

_Hyojin furrowed her eyebrows. "Eh?"_

" _We could go to your place and have our own dance! I can throw together a playlist or whatever! It'll be just us too, so you don't have to worry about anyone else ruining your night! I'm at least fifty percent certain you like me!" Jeonghwa beamed._

_Hyojin let out a brief laugh, casting her gaze down on the desk. "You must really want to make that night special for me, huh?"_

" _Well… yeah!" Jeonghwa's expression softened, but there was still a smile on her face, "You're graduating soon, Hyojin. I don't want you to leave without making any memories you can look back on in the future. Besides…" That smile of hers faltered. "If you're graduating soon, that means I won't be able to see you as much after…"_

_Hyojin's heart panged watching Jeonghwa's expression suddenly turn sour when thinking about Hyojin graduating. Drawing in a sharp breath, Hyojin bit the bullet and gave in. "Alright… We can do our own thing together, okay? Just… lose the sad face. Please."_

_Suddenly Jeonghwa's mopey expression vanished, and she sported a wide smile like usual. "Great! It's gonna be so much fun, I can't wait!"_

_Hyojin flashed a half-hearted smile. She couldn't be too excited considering how even though she promised herself to keep her boundaries up with Jeonghwa, just one sad look from Jeonghwa tore down all of Hyojin's progress. "Yeah, me neither."_

* * *

During the second period, the Swedish team had scored to tie the game at 1-1. Before the last period started, Jiyoon and Jeonghwa met again to discuss strategy in the locker room.

Jiyoon rested her arms and her head on the lockers, trying her best to contain her frustration. "How could they possibly be getting away with this?! What the hell could they have done so that the refs don't call them out?!" She was succeeding in hiding her frustration, save for her tone of voice which resembled more of a growl.

Jeonghwa was low on breath from being on the ice, and her whole body ached from pain. She sat down on one of the benches to try and regain her energy, and she suddenly tore off her jersey and went to unbuckle her shoulder pads. Now that nothing was blocking her way, Jeonghwa lifted her tank top underneath, and she saw a sizeable bruise forming around her left ribs. She just closed her eyes and let out a sigh at the sight of it.

Jiyoon looked over just in time to see the bruise on Jeonghwa's side, and she pointed towards it and shook her head. "You see, that's not right. That shit should be called, not let off scot-free." Letting out an annoyed groan of frustration, Jiyoon composed herself enough to make her way over to Jeonghwa and sit beside her on the bench. "Nothing's broken, is it? Can you still play?"

"I'm fine." Jeonghwa shook her head, "I've broken ribs before, but this is just a bruise. I'll wear my other set of gear with more coverage to protect it."

Jiyoon nodded and stood up to get Jeonghwa's bag from her locker, bringing it over. Jeonghwa put on her slimmer set of gear which covered the entirety of her torso and her upper arms. As Jiyoon helped set everything into place, Jeonghwa let out a final breath to steady her breathing, and she peered over her shoulder at Jiyoon. "You win. If they want to play dirty, they're gonna get dirty."

Despite how she finally convinced Jeonghwa to use her strategy, Jiyoon didn't feel very victorious in that. Instead, she was still just frustrated. "Me and the others will handle the fighting if it comes to it, then. Just worry about playing hard."

"Good." Jeonghwa nodded, putting her jersey back on and grabbing the rest of her things. Play would resume soon, and they both needed to get out there. "I'll leave that to you, at least until we regain our lead."

"Got it, Cap." Jiyoon nodded. With that, the two of them headed back out for the start of the third period.

Once on the ice, Jiyoon and Jeonghwa both did a quick warm-up by skating around. Again Jeonghwa rounded the corner where her friends sat, but she didn't look at them, instead too wrapped up in her own mind.

LE could sense this different air around Jeonghwa, something of which she had never seen before. LE almost sensed anger from Jeonghwa as she skated past, and it was strange that Jeonghwa didn't even catch their eyes and wave. She turned to Solji, confident that she could sense something similar. "She must be real serious now, huh?"

"Mmm…" Solji hummed, narrowing her eyes as she watched the ice, "I haven't seen her this riled up in a while… She's normally one to keep a cool head on the ice."

LE furrowed her eyebrows, letting her gaze go back to the ice as well. She watched Jeonghwa as she joined the rest of her team, and LE noticed something else that was different about Jeonghwa as well. "Does she look… built differently than before, too?"

Hani suddenly chimed in to answer that, a huge grin on her face. "You mean how she looks a lot more slimmer? That's her other set of gear!" She turned to Hyelin, "She only wears it when she gets physical- Do you think we're gonna see a fight?!"

"We better!" Hyelin said, but she then turned to LE, "Normally, she just wears the typical, bulky shoulder pads to give her that support on her shoulders and her chest, but she got this gear for whenever she has to deal with rougher opponents. It's some high-level and expensive gear, and even though it covers a lot of her body, it's still super mobile."

"It's like armor!" Hani nodded, "When she busts this sort of gear out, it means she's serious!"

"Or hurt." Solji suddenly cut in, "She wore that one all the time when she was recovering from a rib injury. She could just be hiding an injury she got in the first two periods. With how rough these Swedish girls have been playing, I wouldn't be surprised if she got hurt."

LE crossed her arms and let out a shaky breath. Regardless of the situation, LE didn't particularly enjoy it and what it meant for Jeonghwa. In a quiet voice, she spared a glance towards Solji and hoped she wouldn't get a harsh answer. "Are her games always this stressful?"

"It's the Olympics." Solji replied, keeping her line of sight locked ahead of her, "It's not supposed to be easy."

LE just sighed and shook her head. She took a fistful of her shirt into her hand with her arms still crossed, watching as the game resumed, hoping that Jeonghwa was okay.

As the first few minutes of play transpired, Jeonghwa noticed while her team was trying to regain the puck that Jiyoon suddenly let out a loud yell, and she quickly looked over, seeing how one of the Swedish players had checked Jiyoon into the wall. Jeonghwa just tightened her grip on her stick and focused back on the game, figuring that the new strategy would just be starting to unfold.

Once the South Korean team regained control of the puck, Jeonghwa kept her gaze on Jiyoon, anticipating the puck coming towards her once Jiyoon received it, but she caught sight of Jiyoon checking the very same girl who checked her into the wall. A referee blew a whistle and suspended play, giving Jiyoon a penalty for an illegal check.

Jiyoon threw her arms out to her sides, unable to believe how she got penalized for the same thing that the Swedish girls got away with. "You can't be serious!"

One of the referees grabbed Jiyoon by the arm and guided her towards the penalty box to serve out the time for her infraction, and she just growled and tore her arm away, skating over to the box herself. Along the way, Jiyoon and Jeonghwa shared a quick glance with each other, and Jeonghwa sucked in a steeling breath. Playing dirty seemed to be out of the question when it would just hurt her team more. They'd have to rethink their plan, but in the meantime, Jeonghwa had to deal with being down one player on the ice against a team that posed as much of a threat as the Swedish one.

During the power play, Jeonghwa tried to wedge the puck out of a Swedish forward's control while pressed against the wall, and she heard another Swedish player coming towards her. Not wanting to risk another elbow to her ribcage, Jeonghwa pulled away from the other forward and jumped out of the way, avoiding getting checked into the wall. It cost her the puck, but she figured she could regain it sometime before the rest of Jiyoon's penalty was up.

Once the South Korean team had control of the puck again, they stalled and rallied the puck between them to run out the clock on Jiyoon's penalty. They lost the puck after a little while, but it was enough for Jiyoon to join them out on the ice. With Jiyoon's help, South Korea got the puck back and advanced into Swedish ice.

Jiyoon received the puck from one of the defenders, and she sent the puck Jeonghwa's way, though her aim was off. She shot it closer to the corner of the rink, and Jeonghwa immediately skated to get it. As she pulled up to the corner, raising her stick to knock the puck back towards Jiyoon, Jeonghwa was cut off by a Swedish player slamming into her, throwing her against the board. Jeonghwa landed against her raised stick, eliciting a sharp yell of pain out of her and snapping the stick clean in two because of how harshly she was slammed into the wall.

The corner where Jeonghwa was checked was right where LE and the others were sitting, and Hyojin covered her mouth and gasped, seeing Jeonghwa smashed against the wall. Jeonghwa fell to the ice after that, and the referees blew the whistle to suspend play.

Solji stood on the tips of her toes to try and see down on the ice to check on Jeonghwa. "Jeonghwa-yah, get up!"

Hani and Hyelin were holding onto each other, yelling for Jeonghwa to get up as well. Hyojin just stayed silent; it felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest from how fast it was beating, and she looked up at the LED screens overtop the ice, trying to see if the camera feed was focused on Jeonghwa since they couldn't see the ice right in front of the glass.

Jeonghwa had fallen onto her back, and she stirred slightly, groaning from the pain coursing through her body. Slowly she turned onto her stomach, and she pushed off her helmet which was askew on her head. Jiyoon skated up to her and extended a hand, which Jeonghwa immediately latched onto, pulling herself to her knees at first, where their gazes met.

Jiyoon clenched her jaw seeing Jeonghwa's expression and feeling the tightness of Jeonghwa's grip on her. Jeonghwa's expression was entirely devoid of that optimism and that energy, but instead her teeth were gritted and her eyes were half-lidded with her eyebrows low. From what Jiyoon could see of Jeonghwa's eyes, she could read an emotion she had rarely seen within Jeonghwa before: anger.

When Jiyoon pulled Jeonghwa to her feet, Jiyoon kept reading the emotions in Jeonghwa's eyes, and soon she confirmed her suspicions and told Jeonghwa what she wanted to hear, saying firmly, "23."

Jeonghwa nodded in return, dropping her hand from Jiyoon's and casting aside the broken handle of her stick she still held. "Thank you…"

Amidst the silence of suspended play, Jeonghwa's gaze immediately landed on the player with the number 23, the one who slammed Jeonghwa into the board. Jeonghwa pushed off on her skates towards the other player, tearing off her gloves and reeling her fist back before swinging it across player 23's jaw.

Hyojin winced and let out a gasp seeing Jeonghwa throw a punch, but Hyelin and Hani started screaming, jumping up and down for Jeonghwa.

"That's right!" Hyelin shouted, "GET HER!"

"HOT BODY! HOT BODY!" Hani chanted.

Jeonghwa had knocked the helmet off of the other player, though player 23 responded by punching Jeonghwa upside the head. The two of them exchanged blows like that until Jeonghwa grabbed onto the other player's jersey and yanked her across the ice, distancing herself from her. However, as with most fights in women's hockey, the Swedish team came to their teammate's aid, with two other players jumping Jeonghwa now that she was alone.

Jiyoon spared one glance at the three other South Korean players before skating off towards the fight. " _Don't_  follow me!"

Jeonghwa did her best to fend off the two Swedish players on her, with one of them throwing punches with the other pulling Jeonghwa's jersey and hair. Jeonghwa had gritted her teeth from the pain of each blow, but suddenly that weight pulling on her hair vanished, and Jeonghwa saw out of the corner of her eye Jiyoon punching that Swedish player down, breaking her off of Jeonghwa. Reinvigorated by her alternate having her back, Jeonghwa kneed the other girl on her and pushed her away, giving Jeonghwa a split second to breathe, back-to-back with Jiyoon.

Sometime during the scuffle before Jiyoon joined in, Hyojin had turned away, unable to watch Jeonghwa getting thrashed by the Swedish team. While Hani and Hyelin were enjoying the show of Jeonghwa finally fighting, Solji noticed Hyojin's reaction, and her expression softening with a sympathetic frown, Solji placed her hand on Hyojin's shoulder and squeezed it.

After more traded blows, eventually one of the Swedish girls grabbed and pushed Jeonghwa to the ice, with Jeonghwa falling harshly on her back. Another player took her stick and raised it, fully intending to hit Jeonghwa with it, but Jiyoon reached out and grabbed it, stopping it from making contact with Jeonghwa. Jiyoon's split attention caused her to get knocked in the head by another player, but Jiyoon pushed her away, and then the referees finally intervened, pulling everyone apart.

Now that the fight was over, Solji leaned closer to Hyojin and squeezed her shoulder again. "Don't worry. It's safe to watch now."

Hyojin nodded gratefully and turned around, drawing in a sharp breath, gaze falling on Jeonghwa.

Jeonghwa rose to her feet once the fight was over, and she dragged her thumb over her lip, smearing the dripping blood so that it wouldn't fall on her jersey. Her hair was all tousled from all the pulling, and blood had coated one side of her face from a cut on the top of her head and her lip. Her expression still held that anger, now fueled by the pumping adrenaline, and the LED screen feed displayed Jeonghwa in that state for all the arena to see.

Hyojin watched the LED screen, and the sight of Jeonghwa's bloodied, injured, angered expression caused all of her breath to leave her body at once, throat seizing up and body tensing. She eventually let out a strained cough at the sight, trying to compose herself.

Hani, who otherwise was energized from the fight, suddenly stopped upon hearing LE's cough. She leaned forward to get a good look at LE, and she could see LE gulp the more she looked at the LED screen. Hani just watched curiously, an eyebrow raised.

Jiyoon and Jeonghwa were escorted to the penalty box for their fighting infraction, and the referees dropped off their gloves, helmets, and Jiyoon's stick. The three Swedish players went to their penalty box as well, and another Swedish player was sent onto the ice since a hockey team had to have a minimum of three players on the ice. Since the Swedish team had to replace a member within the box, the South Korean team was extended the same courtesy since less players were involved in the infraction, and therefore deserved the power play advantage. That made it a 4-on-3 power play favoring South Korea during the five minute penalty period.

Once inside the box, Jeonghwa snatched some of the medical supplies that the supervisor within the box had offered, wetting the cloth and taking a seat next to Jiyoon. Jeonghwa dabbed at the bloody spots on Jiyoon's face, causing Jiyoon to wince and hiss at the stinging sensation and revealing how her teeth were stained red.

The supervisor passed on a small plastic cup of water to the two of them, which Jiyoon took but immediately held out for Jeonghwa. "Drink this." She said in between exhausted pants.

Jeonghwa took the cup from Jiyoon and downed the water almost immediately, handing the empty cup back. Jiyoon took the empty cup and spit in it, finally clearing out all the blood in her mouth. Continuing to patch up Jiyoon, Jeonghwa pressed a bandage over a cut above Jiyoon's eye to stop it from bleeding further down her face.

"There…" Jeonghwa breathed, panting herself, "That should hold you over until the end of the match and a doctor can see you…"

"Thanks, Cap…" Jiyoon turned towards Jeonghwa and grabbed a another cloth, "Here, let me try and patch you up."

Jeonghwa shook her head, lowering Jiyoon's hands. "I'm fine… You got it worse than I did."

"But that cut on your head…" Jiyoon pointed to the cut right near Jeonghwa's hairline.

"I think it stopped bleeding, it's fine…" Jeonghwa flashed a smile, "Can you still play?"

"Probably…" Jiyoon stretched out the muscles in her back, "The time in the penalty box after a fight is very relaxing, surprisingly enough…" She cracked a smile.

Jeonghwa laughed. "I wouldn't know."

Jiyoon hummed to that. "Yeah… Can't believe you actually punched that chick."

Jeonghwa glanced out towards the ice, clenching her jaw and exhaling heavily through her nose. "...I was mad."

"A bit of an understatement, wouldn't you say?" Jiyoon teased, but she picked up easily how Jeonghwa wasn't willing to talk anymore about it. Instead, Jiyoon just leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, watching the match. "Well, we got a good power play out of this. I think we can leave it up to the other girls to use this bad situation for a good ending."

Jeonghwa cracked a hint of a smile. "Their captains shouldn't be locked in the penalty box, leaving them to think up a strategy on their own."

"Probably not." Jiyoon grinned. Watching the puck in the hands of the rest of her teammates, Jiyoon let herself grin wider, growing cocky, "But… I think we turned this into a good strategy."

Jeonghwa turned towards Jiyoon, raising a confused eyebrow, but her questions were answered by the sudden wailing of the goal sirens and the score going from 1-1 to 2-1, favoring South Korea. Jeonghwa let herself smile fully, and she adjusted her helmet on her head, standing up and putting her gloves on. "Yeah, I'd say so." She said before the supervisor opened the penalty box, letting Jeonghwa and Jiyoon out since penalties automatically ran out after a goal.

Jeonghwa and Jiyoon hit the ice, and Jeonghwa skated by the South Korean bench, where one of her teammates tossed her a new stick. Jeonghwa grabbed it and took up position behind Jiyoon for the faceoff.

Back in the stands, Hyojin just let out an exhausted sigh and sat back down in the seats. Everyone else was on their feet, rallying for whatever country they were supporting, but Hyojin was just tired. She still watched the match, but with a sense of dread and fear. She didn't want to see Jeonghwa get hurt again, and seeing Jeonghwa get slammed into the glass right in front of her was one of the most painful things Hyojin had to see.

With the score and the time on the clock, Hyojin figured that Jeonghwa would still win, so she was glad in that regard, but Hyojin couldn't bring herself to watch further.

She just tried to get that image out of her head, of Jeonghwa against the glass, letting out that shout of pain, falling to the ground.

* * *

_Jeonghwa's dance party was little different from how Hyojin and Jeonghwa normally spent time together at Hyojin's house. The only major difference was that Jeonghwa was the one who controlled the music that played in the background of their conversations. Fitting for a school dance knock-off, Jeonghwa's playlist was filled with tons of Top 40 hits throughout the years and unabashedly party music. Hyojin honestly was trying to ignore the music since she found most of it to be absolutely awful. She wasn't going to complain too much though, because Jeonghwa was happy, and Hyojin didn't want to ruin her fun._

_Jeonghwa was singing along to some cutesy song, imitating the dance while Hyojin just watched on her bed, laughing to herself due to Jeonghwa's humorous display. When Jeonghwa finished dancing and the song ended, she just laughed and made her way over to Hyojin, jumping onto her bed._

" _I can't believe you didn't want to go to the dance! You could be having such as much fun as you are now!" Jeonghwa let out a sigh to steady her breathing after all the dancing, resting her back against the wall._

_Hyojin cracked a wry smile. "I wouldn't be having a lot of fun at the dance, then."_

_Jeonghwa smacked Hyojin's shoulder for that comment, but she still laughed. "Oh, come on! You could be all dressed up and pretty, eating semi-decent food, maybe drinking out of a spiked punch bowl, and dancing in a small group of friends on the corner of the dancefloor, ignoring everyone else partying!"_

" _The only fun part about that is drinking out of a spiked punch bowl." Hyojin sighed, folding her arms. "It's just not my scene."_

_Jeonghwa frowned, but she soon came to accept that she can't get Hyojin to open up to everything. She couldn't force Hyojin to like things, so she eventually just dropped the issue. "Well, this has got to be better, right?"_

" _It's not terrible." Hyojin smiled faintly, "I've spent my Saturday nights doing worse things than this."_

_Jeonghwa laughed, reveling in the small victory. "I'm glad!"_

_Soon the song changed, and Jeonghwa immediately jumped off of the bed, overcome with energy. "I love this song!"_

_Hyojin just sat back, resting her back against the wall. "Then you'll put on a good show for me."_

" _Aw, come on! Dance with me!" Jeonghwa grinned widely, making her way back to the bed, "You need to start treating this like a dance."_

" _I assure you this is what I would be doing if I actually went to that dance. Sitting back, and watching everyone else make fools of themselves on the dancefloor." Hyojin tilted her head._

_Unsatisfied with that response, Jeonghwa climbed back onto the bed right in front of Hyojin's lap. She grabbed Hyojin's hands and pulled her close so that their faces were mere inches apart, and there was an eager smile on her face. "Dance with me."_

_Hyojin's eyes widened when Jeonghwa climbed onto her and pulled her close, and she froze because of how close their faces were. Unable to stop herself, Hyojin let her gaze drop to Jeonghwa's lips, but she composed herself by leaning back and gulping, snapping herself out of her daze and nodding her head. She let Jeonghwa pull her to her feet and drag her to the center of Hyojin's room so they could dance._

" _I vaguely remember the dance to this…" Jeonghwa mumbled to herself, hesitantly moving along to the music and trying to recall the steps. She closed her eyes, trying to envision the dance, and when she opened her eyes, she noticed how Hyojin was lazily doing the dance._

_Jeonghwa just stopped moving, watching Hyojin for a few moments, stunned into silence. "...You? Know the dance?"_

_Hyojin glanced down at herself and then at Jeonghwa. "Yeah. I do."_

" _But… You don't dance." Jeonghwa commented, "...And now you're dancing."_

" _You asked me to."_

" _I… Yeah. I did. I just wasn't expecting this. Have you practiced these dances?"_

_Hyojin averted her gaze. "...Somewhat." She didn't want to lie._

" _Why?"_

_Now Hyojin was fine with lying. "For fun."_

_That was enough to convince Jeonghwa. "Cool! Can you show it to me?"_

_Hyojin just shrugged, appeased by deceiving Jeonghwa. That good feeling made Hyojin more willing to teach Jeonghwa. "I mean… You were on the right track. It's the same dance just repeated, really." She said, continuing to follow the choreography._

_Jeonghwa looked over Hyojin and started to mimic her movements, using Hyojin's guidance and her own memory to piece together the full picture. She smiled as she started getting the hang of it, laughing from excitement the more she danced._

" _Yeah, that's it." Hyojin commented, flashing a grin, "Not bad."_

_Soon the song faded out, and a slow song took over. Hyojin just let out a heavy breath, officially tuckered out from dancing, and she turned back towards her bed._

_Jeonghwa noticed how Hyojin was heading back to her bed, and she took a step towards Hyojin. "Wha- hey… Where are you going?"_

" _Back to my bed." Hyojin shrugged, sitting down._

" _But it's a slow song." Jeonghwa pouted._

" _Yeah." Hyojin furrowed her eyebrows, confused as to Jeonghwa's logic, "I figured it was a break song and then we'd go back to dancing."_

_Jeonghwa shifted on her feet. "Don't you want to dance?"_

" _To this?" Hyojin paused. She suddenly thought she had to tread carefully considering how Jeonghwa was acting. "...Why?"_

" _For the full dance experience." Jeonghwa placed her hands on her hips, "Duh."_

_Sighing, Hyojin stood up and walked over to Jeonghwa, coming to a stop a foot or so away from her. "Alright. I'm here."_

_Jeonghwa hesitated for a second, but she grabbed Hyojin's wrists and set Hyojin's hands on her shoulders. Soon Jeonghwa set her hands on Hyojin's waist, and she slowly started swaying to the song._

_Hyojin just let Jeonghwa move her hands around, keeping her mouth shut. She felt her heart starting to beat faster, and she just knew that her face was growing flushed and warm. She tried to keep herself composed, however. Hyojin didn't want to complicate matters._

_After a little while, Jeonghwa just smiled faintly. "You know, I've kind of always fantasized about my first real slow dance."_

_Hyojin raised an eyebrow. "Really?"_

_Jeonghwa nodded. "Yeah! I just… always thought it would be so romantic and perfect. It'd be with someone I've always liked, too."_

_Hyojin stayed quiet, but showed that she was listening so that Jeonghwa would continue._

" _I mean, don't you want something like that? A slow dance to a romantic song with someone you've always liked… As you dance, it feels like you two are the only one in the room, and when the song's almost over, you kiss… Doesn't that sound dreamy?"_

_Glancing down at her feet, Hyojin couldn't fight a smile coming to her lips. "Sounds kinda cheesy."_

" _Yeah, but it_ does  _sound nice…" Jeonghwa grinned to herself._

_Hyojin drew in a heavy breath, and she met Jeonghwa's gaze again. There was a curious look on her face, and Hyojin couldn't stop herself from asking, "How do you find the courage to do it?"_

_Jeonghwa tilted her head. "Do what?"_

" _Asking that person to dance, and then kissing them…" Hyojin shrugged, trying to act casually about it, "Wouldn't you be scared?"_

_Jeonghwa just smiled and shrugged. "I mean, a little bit. But why would I be so scared?"_

_Hyojin inhaled again, realizing how words were suddenly becoming difficult for her to find. "Of rejection? Or… what if that person you danced with was a friend? Wouldn't you be afraid that if you acted, you'd ruin everything you had together?"_

" _Yeah, I'd be a little scared." Yet Jeonghwa still had that grin on her face, "But you can't let that fear stop you from everything, can you? If you were really friends, even if you acted on your feelings and you get rejected, thing should still be okay, right?"_

" _Mm…" Hyojin stood up a little straighter, and her hands moved from the edges of Jeonghwa's shoulders and closer to her neck._

_Jeonghwa just watched Hyojin, tilting her head, words hesitantly at the tip of her tongue. "...Why? Would you be scared to act?"_

_Stepping closer, Hyojin dropped her gaze to Jeonghwa's lips, biting down on her own lower lip. For the first time since her feelings formed, Hyojin didn't have a voice in her head telling her to back down or to stop. Instead, maybe because of Jeonghwa's words, Hyojin finally felt emboldened to act._

" _Maybe…" Hyojin answered softly. She still felt short of breath from her nerves, and when she removed her one hand from Jeonghwa's shoulder, she felt it trembling, though Hyojin didn't stop. She came to rest her hand on the side of Jeonghwa's face, and Hyojin took one small step closer. "Maybe not anymore…"_

_As Hyojin swallowed down the last of her nerves and held her breath, she could faintly hear the slow song switch into something else, but she wasn't paying too much attention to everything else. The only thing Hyojin could keep on her mind was Jeonghwa while she closed her eyes and leaned forward, finally finding her courage to seek out those lips and just kiss her._

_Yet it seemed as if she hadn't found what she sought, as Hyojin leaned forward and stumbled into nothingness. The feeling of Jeonghwa's hands around her waist was gone too, and Hyojin just looked over, seeing how Jeonghwa was walking towards the laptop._

" _Ugh, I hate this song!" Jeonghwa said while she slipped out of Hyojin's grasp and started making her way towards her laptop to skip the track. She seemed to be entirely clueless about what just happened- or rather, what was going to happen._

_Hyojin just let out a quiet, frustrated groan, placing her hands over her face. Of course, the one time she got the courage to act, Jeonghwa broke away, completely unknowing. Hyojin walked back to her bed and sat down, sighing and shaking her head at her own stupidity._

_Jeonghwa was right. Hyojin shouldn't fear rejection if she made a move on a friend. She shouldn't fear rejection if she made a move on a friend without knowing how they felt about her. Hyojin decided she wouldn't act, though. She thought it was pointless to act knowing the other person's feelings, and she thought she knew Jeonghwa's feelings after that incident._

_Jeonghwa didn't feel the same way. She was just clueless, Hyojin thought._

_Why would Hyojin act on her feelings when she knew Jeonghwa's answer already?_

* * *

When the door shut, leaving her alone in that room, Jeonghwa just sighed and hung her head over her knees. The doctor had just finished checking up on her after the match, and she was still seated on the examination table. Nothing broken, no concussion, just bruised ribs and a few cuts on her head. She could still play in the finals, but the doctor recommended she take it easy. Jeonghwa probably would not listen to her recommendation. She made it to the gold medal match. Why  _would_  she take it easy?

While Jeonghwa was still in that room, the door opened again, though she didn't budge from how she sat hunched over. "There's no way Jiyoon got off better than I did…" Jeonghwa mumbled to herself about how fast the doctor had treated Jiyoon when Jeonghwa had the doctor for ten minutes.

"What are you muttering to yourself about?" A voice that was definitely not her doctor's said.

Jeonghwa raised her head with squinted eyes, blinking a few times from surprise when she saw that Hyojin was the one who walked in. "Hyojin… How'd you get in here? Spectators shouldn't be allowed back here…"

"I gave a few autographs and promised a few pictures with some of the guards' kids." Hyojin shrugged nonchalantly.

Jeonghwa just nodded knowingly. "Ah. Idol perks, I see."

Hyojin made her way over to Jeonghwa by the table, and her expression fell upon seeing Jeonghwa's condition up close. "Ah, Jeonghwa…" Hyojin whispered softly, brushing some of the hair over Jeonghwa's face behind her ear. "You look awful…"

Jeonghwa would make a comment about Hyojin calling her awful, but the emotion in her voice that Jeonghwa wasn't used to hearing stopped her, and Jeonghwa just looked away out of shame.

"Did the doctor not clean you up?" Hyojin asked. She immediately started looking around for something she could use to help Jeonghwa out.

Shaking her head, Jeonghwa glanced towards the other examination room that Jiyoon was in, receiving her own check-up. "No. It was just a routine check for broken bones and concussions. None of which I have, by the way. Besides, I told the doctor to hurry to Jiyoon. She had it worse than I did. She needs a doctor's eye on her more than I do."

Hyojin had managed to pull out some cloth and peroxide, and she moved back over to Jeonghwa. "A captain who really looks out for her team, huh…" Hyojin commented, though it carried a certain bite to it, "You could stand to be more selfish before it ends up hurting you."

Jeonghwa just let out a grunt, but she didn't press that issue any further. For once, she stayed quiet as Hyojin cleaned off the dried blood from her face. Jeonghwa didn't dare look at Hyojin as she worked, and instead she either kept her gaze on the ground or her eyes closed.

After Hyojin went through a few small cleaning cloths but was still not finished wiping the blood away, she shook her head and sighed, a frown apparent on her features. "You poor thing…" Hyojin said in a shaky whisper, voice weak.

Jeonghwa just swallowed, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry."

"Solji says you don't fight." Hyojin tried to clear her throat to level her voice to some success, "What happened out there?"

"I got angry." Jeonghwa admitted, picking at her nails out of nerves, "I was tired of being pushed around and hurt. Something in me just… snapped. I wanted to hurt them like they hurt me."

There was silence between them for a moment, neither of them moving until Hyojin finally spoke up, "Was it worth it?"

"The fight? These injuries? Was it worth it?" Hyojin asked. Her voice sounded as if it wanted to be firm and tough, but instead it wavered, borderline cracking as she spoke.

"We made the finals, Hyojin." Jeonghwa finally met Hyojin's gaze, not backing down, "Our fight led to the power play that put us into the lead and gave us the win. We're guaranteed a medal now with a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the gold. Anything's worth that."

Hyojin lowered her head and nodded, letting out a soft breath. "I see." She said quietly. She soon resumed working, now focused on the dried blood on and around Jeonghwa's lips. Gently Hyojin placed two fingers underneath Jeonghwa's chin to keep it steady, and she used her free hand to wipe away the blood with a cloth. As she worked, something inside of Hyojin prompted her to say, "You scared me, Jeonghwa…"

Jeonghwa glanced back at Hyojin, lips parted slightly from shock. She swallowed, trying to keep her voice under control. "I'm sorry…" She whispered, though her voice steadied soon after, "I'm sorry that I scared you, but… I regret  _nothing_." Jeonghwa insisted, "I would do it all again."

From their close proximity, Hyojin could read into Jeonghwa's eyes, where she could see remnants of the anger and frustration that Jiyoon saw before Jeonghwa went off and fought the other team. Hyojin both understood Jeonghwa's pain and cursed her for acting that way. "Just… please, be careful. I can't tell you how hard it was seeing you crash into that wall."

Suddenly Jeonghwa remembered what spurred her to fight, and she started to feel sorry for Hyojin again. "That's right… You were seated right there, on the right corner…"

Hyojin nodded slowly. "I couldn't even watch the fight. Seeing you hit the wall was too much for me."

"I'm sorry." Jeonghwa lowered her gaze, "For your first time watching one of my matches, it couldn't have been a good first impression."

Hyojin held her tongue in response to that, instead returning to finish cleaning Jeonghwa up. As Hyojin wiped away the blood off of Jeonghwa's lips, Jeonghwa couldn't help but glance down at Hyojin's own, noticing how despite how strongly Hyojin was schooling her expression, Jeonghwa could see how her lips pursed slightly out of concentration. Inhaling sharply, Jeonghwa looked back into Hyojin's eyes, and soon Hyojin met her gaze for a brief moment. Hyojin glanced away, however, and she set down the dirty cloth and picked up a new one that she dipped in peroxide, coughing to compose herself.

"This might sting." Hyojin said softly, sounding apologetic without doing anything yet.

Jeonghwa just nodded. "That's fine."

Hyojin began to dab at the cuts on Jeonghwa's forehead, causing Jeonghwa to wince. She still stayed relatively composed throughout it, trying to block out the pain. It didn't hurt too bad. In fact, Hyojin was doing a good job with the whole thing.

"You're really good at this." Jeonghwa commented, the words leaving her without thinking.

Hyojin didn't think much of the comment, and she didn't think much before she responded, "You're not the first person I've patched up after a fight."

Jeonghwa just looked at Hyojin curiously, causing Hyojin to continue. "When I was a trainee, me and my friend performed underground since our careers were going nowhere. It wasn't the safest place for a couple of fresh adults, but he'd always try and protect me. He frequently got scuffed up in the process, and I'd always have to patch him up afterwards and hide his injuries from everyone at the company."

That was the first time Hyojin ever spoke of her trainee days or her life before being an idol. "You made friends during your trainee days?" Jeonghwa asked. If anyone else had asked that question, it would have been condescending, but from Jeonghwa, she sounded hopeful.

Hyojin flashed a smile. "Yeah, I had one."

"I'm glad." Jeonghwa nodded, smiling back. She soon let out a soft yelp of pain when Hyojin pressed down on one of the larger cuts.

"Sorry…" Hyojin whispered. She wrapped up with her work and set everything down, taking a step back from Jeonghwa's space. "Are you cleared to leave?"

Jeonghwa nodded. "Yeah, but I want to make sure Jiyoon's okay. You don't have to wait for me."

Hyojin shook her head and crossed her arms. "No, it's fine. I forgot how to get out of here, anyways."

Letting out a laugh, Jeonghwa lowered her head from view. "Right… Thank you for patching me up."

Hyojin just nodded, flashing a soft smile. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Thanks." Jeonghwa grinned.

"You know, Hyelin said she talked to you a few days ago about going to some club. She figured that you all could go tonight to unwind after this obviously stressful day." Hyojin said.

"I remember that." Jeonghwa nodded, "I wouldn't mind that."

"Are you in the condition to go?"

"I think so." Jeonghwa paused for a moment, growing hesitant, "...Will you be there?"

"If you want me there, I'll go with you." Hyojin said reassuringly, nodding her head.

"Yeah… I'd like that." Jeonghwa said faintly. She pushed herself closer towards the edge of the table to brace herself for jumping off.

Hyojin extended a hand to help Jeonghwa down, and once Jeonghwa's feet hit the ground, Hyojin placed her hand in front of Jeonghwa's waist to keep her steady. Jeonghwa winced and grunted at the contact, and Hyojin furrowed her eyebrows, looking Jeonghwa over.

"Yah, are you alright?" Hyojin asked, moving closer. She noticed how Jeonghwa had her hand ghosting over her side, expression still contorted from pain.

"I'm fine…" Jeonghwa insisted, voice gruff.

Hyojin narrowed her eyes out of disbelief, not trusting Jeonghwa's words. She grabbed the fabric at the bottom of Jeonghwa's tank top and lifted it up, revealing the large bandage covering Jeonghwa's left ribs. Hyojin's gaze snapped up to meet Jeonghwa's eye, demanding an answer.

"I-It's not broken, I promise…" Jeonghwa shook her head, wetting her lips, "It's just a bruise. I'm fine."

Drawing in a sharp breath, Hyojin didn't break eye contact with Jeonghwa. "...You need to be careful."

"I-It wasn't my fault! It was an illegal check! She elbowed me!" Jeonghwa defended herself, "I couldn't protect myself against that!"

Hyojin glanced away, knowing that it couldn't be helped. When she turned back to Jeonghwa, she placed a hand on her shoulder, holding it tightly. "I know how important this is to you, but please, don't throw yourself away for a medal. I don't like seeing you get hurt…"

There were so many excuses Jeonghwa wanted to make, but she knew that none of them would help her situation with Hyojin. Instead, Jeonghwa just walked forward and wrapped her arms around Hyojin, ignoring how the stretch on her ribs pained her. "I'll be careful for the finals match. And…" Her voice dropped, with her hold on Hyojin growing looser, "I.. I understand if because of tonight, you don't want to go to the finals. I don't want you to watch something that only worries and frightens you."

"Nonsense…" Hyojin trailed off, placing her hands on Jeonghwa's back, "I want to support you. I'll be there for you."

"Thank you." Jeonghwa closed her eyes and held Hyojin tighter despite how her muscles started to yell at her for it, "You don't know how much that means to me."

Hyojin hummed softly at that, and shortly after she pulled away. She took one glance at Jeonghwa before glancing down at the floor. "I'm sorry to leave you, but I'm going to head out after all. I'll see you tonight, if you still want me along."

"Of course I do." Jeonghwa shifted her weight on her feet. She wouldn't show how she was disappointed that Hyojin decided to leave, but she knew she couldn't keep her. "We'll have fun together, right?"

Hyojin nodded, forcing a smile to her lips. "Yeah, we will. Make sure Jiyoon's alright for me too, okay?"

"I'll let her know her favorite rapper was concerned for her." Jeonghwa teased.

Suddenly Hyojin's smile turned a lot more genuine, and she made her way towards the door. "Feel better soon, Jeonghwa." She said as a goodbye before she stepped out, letting the door shut behind her.

As she heard the door close, Jeonghwa lowered her head and let out a shaky exhale, unable to ignore the heavy atmosphere that was between her and Hyojin the whole time, the strange charge to every exchange, every word, every glance. She walked towards a mirror in the room and lifted up her shirt, examining the injury to her ribs. She also pulled back her hair to reveal the cuts on her forehead by her hairline. Some of Hyojin's words started settling in as Jeonghwa looked herself over in the mirror, the extent of her injuries catching up to her.

Was throwing her body away and scaring all of her friends really worth the gold medal?


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeonghwa tries to destress after her match, but she ends up growing more stressed than she started out being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> be careful of the change in rating going forward. also, be prepared to get mad at jeonghwa :) see the end notes after you read the chapter to get a bad joke :)

Jeonghwa eventually lowered her tank top and let out a sigh, not wanting to think too much about her injuries or Hyojin's words. She could feel how stressed she was, and she started to feel very grateful for their night out later. She hoped that the fun night out with her friends would alleviate her stress and give her a chance to unwind and let loose. It would be a welcome distraction from the stress of her matches.

Soon the door opened to the room again, and Jeonghwa glanced over towards the door, hoping that Hyojin had come back. Her hopes were dashed when she spotted her doctor, and Jeonghwa's expression visibly fell when she realized Hyojin hadn't come back. Behind her doctor was Jiyoon, however, which did change Jeonghwa's mood somewhat.

"Good, you're still here." Her doctor said, "I wanted to give you some painkillers to help with your injuries."

Jeonghwa nodded, otherwise staying silent. She rubbed at her arm as she waited, and soon her doctor passed her and Jiyoon the painkillers with a cup of water for them to take. "Rest up well for the finals, ladies. Don't push yourselves too hard."

Jiyoon and Jeonghwa both nodded and mumbled a 'thank you' as the doctor took her leave, leaving just the two of them in that examination room together.

"You look a lot better." Jiyoon said after a few moments of strained silence between them.

"You do too." Jeonghwa said in return, "What did the doctor say to you?"

"That I should play around seven minutes maximum in the finals." Jiyoon sighed, running a hand through her hair. There were a few bandages above her eye and around her knuckles, and her lip had a sizable cut on it. "I won't be listening to her. How about you?"

"Same." Letting out a sigh, Jeonghwa turned back to the mirror and looked over the bandage over her ribs again, "But… I think I might actually listen to her."

Jiyoon glanced over at Jeonghwa in surprise, furrowing her eyebrows. "That's new… What's changed your mind all of a sudden?"

"I got to thinking… Of course, my dream has always been to make it to the Olympics and to win the gold, and I absolutely love playing hockey. The gold medal is so close, but I've never pushed myself as hard as I have here. It's showing." Jeonghwa's fingertips trailed over her bandage as she spoke, "Yeah, I could win a medal and have my few moments of fame, but what if I hurt myself so badly in the process I can never play the same again?"

Making her way over to the mirror, Jiyoon glanced over her own injuries as well, fingers ghosting over the bandages over her hands. "I get what you're saying…" She exhaled heavily and turned towards Jeonghwa, expression softening in understanding, "You scared someone out there today, didn't you?"

Jeonghwa just swallowed, casting her gaze on the ground. "Yeah. I did."

"Well, that ain't too bad. It just means you have someone out there who's your voice of reason. I think you need that the most out of all of us." Jiyoon said, crossing her arms, "You're our voice of reason, so you need someone there for you."

Silence followed, with Jeonghwa staring ahead of her, lost in her thoughts. Jiyoon noticed Jeonghwa's aversion to answering, causing her to grow a bit concerned.

"What's up, Cap?" She asked, frowning, "You didn't get into a fight with that person, did you?"

"I don't think so." Jeonghwa let out a sigh, "...I think it's complicated, this whole thing."

"Ah." Jiyoon nodded in understanding, a faint grin on her face, "I completely get it. Do you need a pep talk or something to sort it out?"

Jeonghwa shook her head. "Not right now, no. I think I'm fine."

"Sure thing." Jiyoon slapped Jeonghwa on the back, but she made Jeonghwa flinch at the touch and yelp in pain. "Er, sorry, Cap! I… forgot we were fragile like this."

"You're fine…" Jeonghwa winced, rubbing at the spot Jiyoon hit. "You know… I don't think Hyojin was the only one I scared… I think I scared myself a bit out there too. I think I'm scaring myself now."

Jiyoon placed her hand on Jeonghwa's back, causing her to flinch again out of worry Jiyoon was going to hit her again, but Jiyoon was much more careful this time. "Thinking everything over so much won't do you a lot of good. Take some time to relax before the finals and clear your head. We need a strong leader going into the gold medal match, so you need to get yourself together." Jiyoon flashed a smile, "But, if you ask me, I think you'll be fine if you take care of yourself on and off the ice, Jeonghwa."

Jeonghwa managed to smile back at Jiyoon; that was one of the few times Jiyoon's ever referred to her by name. "Thank you, Jiyoon.. I'll be sure to rest up in time for the match."

Letting out a pensive sigh, Jiyoon spun around and started walking towards the door. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm definitely sick of being in this room. I'll catch you later, Cap."

"Hah, you said it…" Jeonghwa followed after Jiyoon, "I'll join you on the walk back."

Just when Jiyoon opened the door and held it for Jeonghwa, her phone buzzed loudly in her pocket. She pulled it out, leaning her back against the door to prop it open, checking the notification. "The other semi-finals match just ended…" Jiyoon said, furrowing her eyebrows at the screen.

Jeonghwa perked up at that, eyes going wide and blinking rapidly. "And?! What were the results?!"

"Holy shit…" Jiyoon muttered, finally meeting Jeonghwa's gaze, "The Canadian team  _lost_."

"What?!" Jeonghwa spat, completely shocked.

Jiyoon nodded to that, mirroring Jeonghwa's very surprise.

"We're playing America in the finals."

* * *

_She should have been studying. Even she knew that. Yet she wasn't studying, and she wouldn't be for a long while._

_Instead, Hyojin had connected her laptop to the TV in her room to project the image on a wider screen. She played mirrored dance videos and followed along to the movements, trying to improve on her dancing. Frankly, she hated nearly every minute of it. She hated exercise, and she was on her second hour of practicing, so she was starting to really hate everything. Hyojin knew she needed the practice, however._

_She was stuck on this one dance, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't replicate the moves as well as the dancers in the video. She even tried going through the move slowly, focusing on each and every movement of her muscles and bones, deconstructing the move. Even then, it seemed like she wasn't getting the result that she wanted. Hyojin was starting to grow frustrated, and in her tired, sweaty state, she eventually just gave up and threw herself back on her bed with a growl, covering her face with her hands._

_Her time was running out, and her results were still shaky. Hyojin didn't know what all she could do to change that fact except to practice until her body felt weak. She figured that if she didn't whip herself into shape now, she would have to in her future but at ten times the intensity, should she pass. Hyojin sighed, dragging her hands down her face. If she failed, she didn't know what she would do with herself. She had no Plan B. She had to make this work._

_Soon her phone buzzed, and Hyojin could already guess who it was and what she was asking._

**[Troublemaker:] Hi :) Are you busy right now?**

_Hyojin let out a faint sigh, but otherwise was unbothered as she typed out her reply._

**[Hyojin:] i know what you're gonna ask and yes you can come over just give me a 30 min headstart before you start heading down**

**[Troublemaker:] !!!! Wow okay!!! Thank you!!! I'll see you in 30 minutes :)**

_Standing up from her bed, Hyojin unplugged her laptop from her TV and closed out of all the dance videos before shutting her computer and TV down. She then grabbed towels hanging off of a rack on her door and headed to her bathroom for a shower. She needed to completely cover up what she was doing, and she couldn't let Jeonghwa see her so sweaty after a workout like that._

_Hyojin kept her jaw clenched as she watched the water run down from the showerhead, letting the sound of the running water fill her ears._

_She hoped her practice to realize her dream wasn't for naught._

* * *

LE arrived first to the club Hyelin told her about. The five of them had created a group chat, and Hyelin sent the club name and address so that LE could join them. Solji did not hide her reaction to the news LE would be joining them, much to LE's amusement.

_**[Solji:] I was not aware that we had extended an invitation to LE for tonight.** _

_**[Hyelin:] girl wym** _

_**[Hyelin:] you were right there when i told her about the club and that we should all go out** _

_**[Solji:] I had hoped you were telling her that so she could pass it along to Jeonghwa.** _

_**[Hyelin:] what asshole makes plans in front of someone and then excludes them from those very plans** _

_**[Solji:] Us?** _

_**[Hani:] Hyelin don't fight her on that one you know she's right that does sound like something we would do** _

_**[Hyelin:] *shakes fist* you win this round skippy** _

So there LE stood at the bar of the club, waiting for the four others to make their appearance. She had her own drink, which she was nursing in one hand, and another she held onto, saved for a special someone. Shortly enough, the quartet she was waiting for walked in, and her expression lit up with a playful grin at the sight.

"For a second there, I thought I had the wrong club." LE greeted the others, holding her fuller drink behind her back to shield it from their view.

Hyelin shook her head, placing a hand on her hip. "Sorry for the delay. We accidentally reopened one of the cuts on Jeonghwa's head so we had to play doctor to fix it."

"I'm fine now!" Jeonghwa smiled brightly and nodded her head.

"Sounds exciting." LE flashed a smile, "I see Heeyeon is really itching to get onto the dancefloor. I'll join up with you once I'm finished with my drink here, alright?"

Hani had an excited grin on her face, grabbing at Hyelin and Jeonghwa's sleeves. "They're playing Brown Eyed Girls. I  _need_  to get on this!"

Jeonghwa had a smile that mirrored the excitement of Hani's own, and Hyelin was just as down to hit the dancefloor as the other two. "Watching Hani embarrass herself yet again?" Hyelin teased, "Yeah, I need to get on this too!"

The three of them had already dashed off towards the dancefloor, and Solji was set on following them, an amused grin on her lips, but LE wasn't going to let that happen.

"Solji!" LE said. The other woman just froze, letting out a bothered sigh, which LE thoroughly ignored. "Do you mind joining me as I finish up my drink? I even saved one for you as well."

Solji turned her head towards LE, watching as she revealed the glass she had concealed behind her back. She let out another sigh, knowing full well that it would be too rude even for her attempted standoffish facade to refuse a drink after LE had asked. Joining LE at the bar, Solji took the drink from her hand and sipped from it.

After a few moments of silence between them, Solji stared into the brown liquid of her drink, fingers wrapped tightly around the glass. "What's your game, LE?"

"We're not on stage. You're more than free to call me Hyojin." She said in response.

"What I can or cannot call you does not answer my question." Solji answered, gaze snapping upwards to meet Hyojin's eye.

Hyojin grinned despite Solji's tone. "I won't conceal my intentions and waste our time here. I hoped liquoring you up would make you less of a bitch around me. Now, don't waste my time either and answer me this: do you think my plan will work?"

"No." Solji replied tersely.

"Alright." Hyojin shrugged easily, drinking from her glass, "Then I'll just handle your attitude for this conversation."

Solji narrowed her eyes, suspicious of Hyojin's intentions. She didn't say anything however, merely keeping her gaze locked with Hyojin's as she sipped her drink.

Finishing off her glass and setting it on the bar, Hyojin gave Solji her full undivided attention, crossing her arms and leaning her side against the bartop. "I want to resolve whatever this problem is between us. For Jeonghwa's sake." She tilted her head, "Don't you think two of her friends hating each other would only hurt her in the long run?"

Solji quirked an eyebrow at Hyojin's concern for Jeonghwa, not expecting such a thing out of her. "I won't waste your time and I'll cut right to the chase- I don't trust you around Jeonghwa, Hyojin. You've only been back in her life for, what, how many days now? It's too soon to say if this reunion will last, and that you won't suddenly drop Jeonghwa from your life again."

Hyojin clenched her jaw, rolling her shoulders and glancing away. She wouldn't lie; that assumption about ditching Jeonghwa stung. "...I see your point. I don't have a trustworthy track record, yeah? Sounds about right."

"Not in the slightest." Solji's nails scratched against the glass. "I'm just looking out for Jeonghwa. You know, like a  _real_  friend would do."

"Again… I see your point." Hyojin let out a heavy exhale to compose herself. She wasn't growing angry because of Solji's jabs at her, but they were getting under her skin in a way that only hurt her, not infuriated her. "No excuse justifies what happened in the past, and I don't want to keep living it in. I want to know what I can do now, in the present, to gain your trust."

Solji finished the rest of her drink in that moment, and she set her empty glass on the bar, keeping her gaze fixated on that point. "You've been surprising me, Hyojin. When I heard the stories about you, frankly, I thought you were an inconsiderate, selfish, rude punk."

"How nice…" Hyojin growled. That comment did anger her a bit.

"But… from what I've seen of you now, I think I had you pegged wrong. I saw what you did for Hani, and how concerned you were for Jeonghwa at the match. Now, you're asking me how to do better. Maybe you're not so inconsiderate and selfish." Solji let out a sigh.

"In my defense…" Hyojin treaded carefully, "Seven years changes a person. I've had a long time to think about everything I screwed up with Jeonghwa."

"Good. I hope those seven years were terrible as you reflected on everything you did wrong." Solji said, though a smile had formed on her lips, "For Jeonghwa's sake."

Hyojin let herself smile too. "Don't worry. I suffered."

Solji let out a soft laugh, and Hyojin tilted her head at the sight of it. "So, are we good?" Hyojin asked.

"I think we will be. Keep proving me wrong and we'll be just fine." Solji's smile turned darker, and she leaned closer to Hyojin until their faces were mere inches away from one another, "But if you  _ever_ , and I mean  _ever_ , hurt Jeonghwa again… I'll make those seven years filled with regret seem like  _nothing_  after I'm through with you." Immediately her typical cheery self returned after that, and she stood up straight and tilted her head, "I think we've kept everyone else waiting long enough, don't you?"

Very rarely did Hyojin ever feel intimidated by others, but being subjected to Solji's foreboding words with that scrutinous and deadly gaze made Hyojin swallow from nervousness, thoroughly unnerved. She forced a smile to her lips when Solji's whole demeanor changed, still trying to recover from Solji giving her 'the talk.' "Yeah… Uh… Let's go…" She coughed.

Solji looked wholly amused with herself when she stepped away from the bar, and Hyojin watched her with a more genuine grin starting to form on her lips. She liked Solji a lot better when she wasn't glaring at her. Soon Hyojin followed Solji to the dancefloor, and they caught up with the others shortly enough.

Hyelin was doing some trendy dance, likely butchering it on purpose for some laughs, but the fact stands that it was terrible. Jeonghwa and Hani were both laughing loudly at her, clutching their stomachs from laughing so hard. The sight of Solji approaching caught Hani's eye while she was gasping for breath, and suddenly Hani smiled widely and waved her over.

"You missed it!" Hani shouted over the music, "Hyelin just showed us how to 'wobble'!"

"The 'wobble,' huh?" Solji asked, smiling, "What's that?"

Hyelin just shrugged, grinning to herself. "It's some western dance craze. I don't really know."

Hyojin walked up beside Jeonghwa, placing a hand on her arm to get her attention. "You're looking a lot better."

Jeonghwa turned towards Hyojin and smiled, looking a lot more like herself. "Yup! Painkillers and a nice nap helped tons!"

"Good." Hyojin grinned back, "I'm glad. Nothing hurts, does it?"

Jeonghwa shook her head. "Nope. I was given some pretty strong painkillers."

Letting out a laugh, Hyojin directed her gaze towards the others. "Of course…"

The music took over for the night, with the five of them dancing and singing along, taking a few breaks here and there to grab drinks from the bar. At one point, a popular song from a co-ed group began to play, and Hani immediately took up the role of the male performer of the song, and somehow Hyojin got roped into playing the female.

During the song, Jeonghwa got to watching Hyojin and Hani dance, and she started tapping her chin. It seemed vaguely familiar to her. "Hey… Have I ever heard this song before?"

"Dear god, you live under a rock." Hyelin commented dryly, "You don't know any popular song!"

"I know for a fact you've read it, Jeonghwa." Hyojin said, holding out her hand as part of the dance. Hani had grabbed it and stepped closer, working her way down the length of Hyojin's arm until she was nearly face to face with Hyojin, who turned her head away at the last minute with a dull look on her face. Solji laughed at the sight.

Jeonghwa tilted her head, looking utterly confused. "I have…?"

"Yeah. It was in my book." Hyojin spun around for the point in the song where the female performer shaked her hips with the man's hand on her, but her hand shot out to grab Hani's wrist before she could touch anything. "Hands off."

"Yes, ma'am…" Hani cleared her throat, bashfully looking away and retracting her hand.

"You wrote this song?!" Jeonghwa gasped, eyes going wide. Hyelin seemed interested in the answer as well.

"Uh-huh. I would've used the song for myself, but… I wasn't popular enough yet, and hell if I wanted to have a man touch me like this for a whole promotion period and beyond." Hyojin said dryly. She dropped the dancing act and just let out a heavy exhale, tuckered out. "You know what, I'm gonna tap out…" Her gaze went to Solji, and immediately a devious idea popped into her head. "Solji, how about you take over for me?" She grinned devilishly.

Solji blinked in surprise, but she hesitantly stepped forward and replaced Hyojin in the dance. She only vaguely knew the moves, so Hani led the dance. Solji only really remembered to hold out her hand at one point, and far more hesitantly than she did with Hyojin, Hani grabbed ahold of it and worked her way down Solji's arm, and she flinched and turned away when she got too close to Solji's face. Hyelin just rolled her eyes and groaned at the sight.

Soon the song ended and it faded into another song with a heavy synthetic opening, and Hani recognized it almost immediately with a loud gasp. She spun around with a wide smile on her face, grabbing each side of her shirt as part of the choreography.

"Hey, this is your song!" Jeonghwa realized, turning to Hyojin and pointing at her, "DDD, right?"

Hyojin placed her hands on her hips and glanced up towards the speakers with pursed lips. "Yeah, sounds like it."

It seemed like Solji was going to have her revenge, and she tilted her head at Hyojin with a devious look on her face. "Aren't you going to show us the dance?"

Pulling at her collar, Hyojin just frowned. "But I'm tired.."

"Boooo!" Hyelin shouted obnoxiously, pointing her thumb down to the ground.

"Come on!" Solji protested, yet she still wore that scheming grin, "Are you really going to let  _Hani_  show you up at your own dance?"

Hyojin glanced over towards Hani, who was following along to the dance perfectly, as if she practiced it a million times, which Hyojin would've believed. Letting out a sigh, Hyojin gave in and fell in line with Hani just in time for the first rap section, rolling her body to the beat.

While Jeonghwa began by watching Hani's amusing tryhard impression of DDD, her eyes gravitated to Hyojin once she started dancing. She parted her lips at the sight, becoming so engrossed in watching Hyojin that suddenly the sounds of people dancing and singing along around her drowned out. Hyojin wasn't trying in the slightest as she danced, but every sway of her hips, every tantalizing movement still bled with something so satisfying for Jeonghwa to watch, yet left her with a near hunger for more.

There came a point when Hyojin glanced over towards Jeonghwa during the dance, their gazes meeting for a brief moment. Seeing something strange brewing in Jeonghwa's eyes, Hyojin raked her eyes over the other woman, trying to get a read of what had gotten into her. Jeonghwa noticed Hyojin's half-lidded expression born from both the mood of the song and Hyojin's laziness when their eyes locked. Overcome with the feeling burning inside of her as she watched Hyojin, Jeonghwa slowly wetted her lips and took her lower lip between her teeth as she shifted on her feet.

Hyojin caught sight of this, and everything started to fall in place in her mind. Feeling emboldened by having Jeonghwa's charged gaze on her, Hyojin decided to explore this reaction she got from Jeonghwa, and she poured more effort into her dance, making the snaps of her hips more pronounced, slowing some of her movements and making them more fluid, and, most of all, wearing an expression that was teasing and coquettish. Occasionally she would look over at Jeonghwa to see what response she elicited from her, and each time, Hyojin saw how Jeonghwa's gaze was glued to her, burning with something beneath the surface. It both made Hyojin want to keep going with her teasing dance and it filled her with a sense of hope regarding Jeonghwa's feelings. There was the idea of friends hyping each other up and applauding their attractiveness, but from what Hyojin could gauge, Jeonghwa's response far exceeded that concept and delved into true desire.

Hyojin's song ended, and the tone of the music shifted into more upbeat party hits instead of the sexier songs. As such, so did their mood while dancing. That moment between them had ended, and Hyojin, much like Jeonghwa, seemed to reintegrate herself back into the group dynamic instead of the two of them feeling like the only two in the room. However, every now and then Jeonghwa would glance at Hyojin, residual feelings from that moment still floating in her eyes, and Hyojin would look to Jeonghwa to see if that energy was still there. This carried on for many songs afterwards, that game of stolen glances, before another sensual song filled the club.

Hyelin and Hani had just left the bar and walked back to the dancefloor, yet they weren't returning to dance. They went to Solji, who stopped dancing upon spotting the two of them, seemingly catching their drift.

"It's getting late." Hani said over the music, "We should get going so we're rested for tomorrow's match."

Solji nodded. "I agree. I'm getting pretty tired myself…"

"Of course you are." Hyelin commented, "You and Hani were dancing with each other the whole night."

Hani froze because of Hyelin's words and Solji just glared at her, but she brushed the comment off quickly enough. "Let me go to the restroom first before we leave."

Shaking her head to snap herself out of it, Hani nodded, taking it upon herself to spread the news to Hyojin and Jeonghwa. "Hey, guys!" She said to grab their attention. She found it strange how the two of them suddenly turned towards her like they were caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing, but otherwise Hani ignored that. "The three of us are thinking about calling it a night."

"Oh, um…" Jeonghwa glanced back at Hyojin, trying to gauge her reaction. They merely locked eyes for a brief moment, but otherwise Jeonghwa noticed nothing telling from Hyojin's response. "Well… I know you have your match, so you should get going, but… I don't think we're done here."

"That's fine." Hani blinked, glancing at Hyojin, "You have her driver, so you two won't be stranded here. We just wanted to let you know in case you were coming back with us."

"Sorry… This is my chance to unwind from today's mess." Jeonghwa flashed an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, we get it! No worries!" Hani flashed a grin.

Hyojin finally spoke up, smiling faintly at Hani. "Good luck with your match tomorrow."

Having LE wish her luck made Hani's eyes sparkle, and she perked up considerably and nodded. "Thank you! We'll do our best! Have fun the rest of your night!"

"I think we will…" Hyojin said in a low voice, verging on something indecent as her gaze flitted back to Jeonghwa. Jeonghwa merely met Hyojin's eye and nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Hani made her way back to Hyelin after that, meeting up with her by the wall by the restrooms to wait for Solji. It was good distance away from Hyojin and Jeonghwa's point on the dancefloor, yet they were still visible to Hani and Hyelin if they had the right angle to see through the crowds of people.

Hani's curiosity caught up to her while she stood there, and something about Hyojin and Jeonghwa's behavior didn't make sense to her. Between that strange cough Hyojin made at the match, and then that weird energy between the two of them that made them refuse to leave, Hani didn't know what to make of the two of them. Hyelin must have noticed as well, since they both wound up trying to peer into the crowds to get a good look at what Hyojin and Jeonghwa were doing under the assumption they were on their own.

Finding a sweet spot that offered a direct view at the two of them, Hyelin and Hani could see how at some point during the sultry song that played, Jeonghwa had thrown her arm onto Hyojin's shoulder as they danced face-to-face, absorbed in the atmosphere of the music. Hyelin and Hani glanced back at each other once they noticed how Hyojin and Jeonghwa were acting, exchanging a knowing yet still confused look. They didn't have time to think much more of it, since Solji had joined up with them, and they certainly weren't going to tell miss Heo I-Don't-Trust-LE Solji that maybe Hyojin and Jeonghwa had some weird sexual chemistry.

"There you are." Solji said, brushing her hands against her pants to dry off any residual dampness after washing her hands, "What are you two doing all the way over here?"

Hani just clamped her mouth shut and looked at Hyelin. Hyelin was the better liar and they both knew it.

"Ah, well…" Hyelin gestured over towards the wall near the restrooms, "While we were over there waiting for you, there was some couple making out right next to us and it just got super weird. We went over here to escape all that overt sexuality." Yet they were spying on Hyojin and Jeonghwa.

Solji scrunched her nose at the image she constructed in her head of that, and she just shook her head with a shiver. "Ah, that makes sense… Alright, let's head out. Where's Hyojin and Jeonghwa?" She looked at Hani for that answer.

Hani's eyes widened, and Hyelin looked at her with a dry expression, just  _daring_ Hani to make some sort of stupid remark. "Y-You see… Jeonghwa wanted… ice cream…? So they're going on their own to get it…"

Hyelin rubbed at her forehead for a brief moment, thoroughly disappointed, though she wished she could say she was surprised. Solji, however, seemed to have bought it.

"Oh…" She said with a disappointed frown, gradually transitioning into a pout, "I kinda want ice cream now. We could've gone together."

"I know, right?" Hani forced a smile to her lips and she perked up, "How about we get our own ice cream, huh? And have a much better time than they are to rub it in their faces for ditching us!"

Hyelin scoffed at that and glanced off towards the dancefloor vaguely in Hyojin and Jeonghwa's direction. "The only way we'd have a better time than them at this rate is if one of us gets lucky…" She muttered to herself. Luckily no one heard.

"Yeah! That'll show them!" Solji lifted her chin and let out a soft 'hmph' before marching off, "Let's go!"

Once Solji was walking away and was no longer looking towards them, Hani looked over at Hyelin and let out a heavy sigh of relief. Hyelin just shook her head in disappointment, but she got over it shortly enough.

"We need to keep an eye on that." Hyelin whispered to Hani.

Hani nodded, peering back towards the dancefloor. She couldn't see Hyojin and Jeonghwa, and part of her asked if she even wanted to. They followed Solji before too long so she wouldn't notice they were gone, and together they all left the club, leaving Hyojin and Jeonghwa to themselves.

After Hani initially had left the two of them, Hyojin and Jeonghwa continued dancing, though with a boldness afforded to them since they thought they were on their own. Hyojin's gaze had drifted down and up Jeonghwa's body line before crossing Jeonghwa's eyes again.

"I'd say you're feeling a lot better now." Hyojin mused, running a hand through her hair but still not breaking eye contact.

Jeonghwa tried to ignore how attractive Hyojin looked while pushing her hair out of her face, leaving her with a more uneven style. There was something so inviting about a Hyojin that no longer looked so put together without a hair out of place, but instead was a little disheveled and rugged. "I think I've pushed everything that was bothering me out of my mind." She said, a twinkle of something in her eye. She took a step forward and threw her extended arm onto Hyojin's shoulder, bringing them closer.

Hyojin hummed to that, daring to think about what new thoughts replaced the bothersome old ones while foregoing the talking, letting the music absorb them again.

The music that followed carried a similar sensual theme, giving more time for Hyojin and Jeonghwa to be in that moment. At one point during the songs, Hyojin placed her hands on Jeonghwa's hips and pulled her closer, turning her around so that Jeonghwa's back was to her. Their bodies came to sway and roll in time with one another to the music, and Jeonghwa had leaned back and turned her head, resting hers against Hyojin's and placing her hands over those that rested on her hips. She wanted to blame how she mixed painkillers with alcohol for why she was practically- no,  _explicitly_ grinding against Hyojin. Jeonghwa didn't know what propelled her to act on those dormant urges inside of her whenever she saw those LE dance moves, but she blamed her fuzzy inhibitions for the result.

Hyojin was thinking about the effect of the alcohol on her as well, though it was leading her down a different path. She noticed how she could feel Jeonghwa's breath on her, quick and heavy, and every movement of Jeonghwa's hips up against her own nearly had Hyojin seeing stars. Reading the atmosphere between them, Hyojin pondered a question teetering on the tip of her tongue, yet there was something holding her back from asking it. What had been holding Hyojin back all those years was a fear of rejection and a fear of ruining everything that she had with Jeonghwa. But, with the friction between them and Jeonghwa's eagerness to ignite it, Hyojin wondered what the answer to her question could be. Even if she received a 'no,' Hyojin figured she could conjure up some excuse, blame it on the alcohol or the generally sexually-charged clubbing atmosphere for making her ask something so ridiculous.

But for once, Hyojin finally felt brave enough to ask.

"Jeonghwa…" Hyojin said, a breathless lilt to her voice that still contained hesitance. Saying it could irreversibly change their relationship no matter the answer, yet Hyojin threw all caution to the wind, "If I asked you to spend the night at my place… what would you say?"

Jeonghwa turned her head to get a better look at Hyojin, yet she was unable to meet her gaze. She wondered what kind of question that was supposed to be, posed out of nowhere and in the middle of a mood she didn't want to kill just yet. "I've already done it before… I'd say I don't see the issue."

" _Jeonghwa_." Hyojin repeated. Her tone contained a forcefulness and a desire that she hoped conveyed the true, not-so-innocent meaning to her words so that Jeonghwa could understand, "If I asked you to spend the night  _with me_ … what would you say?"

Realization dawned on Jeonghwa suddenly, causing her breath to hitch and her movements to still. That sort of reaction made Hyojin swallow from nervousness, wondering if she had overstepped and done what she had most dreaded. Jeonghwa gulped as well, recalling the way she felt when watching Hyojin dance before and that hunger that filled her to the brim. She knew she wanted it, and despite her fear, Jeonghwa met Hyojin's gaze firmly and gave a small nod, squeezing the hand on her hip. She couldn't bring it in her to speak, but she made it clear that she wasn't saying no.

Hyojin's gaze drifted downwards before she locked eyes with Jeonghwa again. She pulled one of her hands away, reaching into her pocket to pull out her phone. "Let me call my driver."

Jeonghwa drew in a large inhale and stepped away from Hyojin, though she didn't let go of Hyojin's hand. She slid her fingers between Hyojin's own and let Hyojin lead her off of the dancefloor to some place quiet enough to make that phone call.

Jeonghwa tried to ignore the way that her heartbeat pounded louder in her ears than the blaring music in the club.

* * *

_The ceremony itself was dull and boring, and Hyojin was frankly happy it was over. It didn't feel like a really big deal to her- so she was finished with high school and got a diploma. It didn't feel like some monumental life step. It just felt like some event she had to practice for four hours with the rest of the idiots in her school that finally ended. As she walked her way out of the auditorium, she saw other students crying, celebrating, taking pictures, or some combination of the three. She didn't understand their emotions. She felt none of that._

_Her parents gave her flowers and a teddy bear wearing a graduation uniform, and Hyojin had to admit it was cute. That was enough to bring a brief smile to her lips out of gratitude, and she was sure to hug her parents tight for it. Sometime while she was talking with her parents in the hall, she caught sight of Jeonghwa waiting for her, and Jeonghwa smiled when she caught Hyojin's eye, waving. Hyojin told her parents that she'd meet them where they were going to have lunch, and she shoved the flowers and the teddy bear off on her brother. They left, leaving Hyojin to walk over to Jeonghwa._

" _I can't believe you sat through that whole ceremony." Hyojin said once she got closer._

_Jeonghwa merely smiled at that. "I wanted to see you off, y'know. I also wanted to know what I'm in for next year when I have to do it myself."_

" _Be prepared for four hours worth of rehearsals." Hyojin sighed, "It's incredible how stupid some of these people are. None of the guys were smart enough to get it right on the first try in practice."_

_Admittedly Jeonghwa's smile faltered at the news, but she tried to remain positive. "Well… At least you won't have to deal with any of those idiots from here anymore?"_

" _I'm afraid I still have to put up with_ one _." Hyojin cracked a smile._

_Jeonghwa didn't get it at first, but when she did, she stepped forward and shoved Hyojin, but a smile was still on her face. "Hey!"_

_Hyojin just shrugged, letting out a soft laugh. "What? I'm telling the truth."_

_Jeonghwa laughed as well, but she mellowed out shortly enough. Her expression had softened and she glanced Hyojin over, tilting her head slightly. "Can you tell me one thing, Hyojin?"_

_Noticing how serious Jeonghwa had become, Hyojin just raised an eyebrow, wondering what was up. "What is it?"_

" _Are you leaving here with at least some good memories of your senior year?"_

_A question like that threw Hyojin off-guard, and a few memories replayed in her mind that weren't absolutely awful. Hyojin smiled and lowered her head, nodding faintly. "Yeah. I am." The only good memories she held of that place were those that she made with Jeonghwa, and that wasn't lost on Hyojin. "And that's because of you."_

_Jeonghwa smiled, but it wasn't as bright as normal and overflowing with energy. Instead, it was merely thankful. "I'm glad to hear it."_

_As Hyojin kept her head lowered, her smile slowly vanished, and she pressed her lips tightly together, suddenly overcome with emotion. Jeonghwa noticed this shift in her and suddenly her eyes shot wide. She never saw Hyojin in such a state, and she really had no idea what to do._

" _Hyojin-ah..?" Jeonghwa asked, leaning down to try and get a better look at Hyojin's face, "You, uh… you all good?" She didn't want to try and touch her, since Hyojin was stingy enough as is whenever Jeonghwa touched her, and Jeonghwa didn't want to find out if that stinginess only amplified when Hyojin was upset._

 _Suddenly Hyojin stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Jeonghwa, holding her tightly. Jeonghwa was shocked by Hyojin taking that initiative, but she soon returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around Hyojin's waist and grinning to herself. Jeonghwa then started to hear Hyojin's soft sobs, and Jeonghwa patted Hyojin's back to console her. She slowly started to sway while holding Hyojin, spinning them so that Hyojin would be facing the wall instead of the other students, who had come to notice how Hyojin,_ the  _Ahn Hyojin, was crying. Jeonghwa figured Hyojin would appreciate not having her image ruined on her last day._

" _Thank you…" Hyojin eventually choked out, somehow tightening her already close hold on Jeonghwa, "Thank you for being there for me… For everything…"_

_Jeonghwa smiled and closed her eyes, letting out a content sigh in Hyojin's arms. "It's what friends do."_

* * *

The car ride back to the hotel was done in silence. Jeonghwa kept her gaze focused on the scenery outside the window of the car, watching the buildings and streetlights pass. Ever since they sat down in the car, Hyojin's hand rested on Jeonghwa's knee, and Jeonghwa was hyperaware of the hand's presence. Her knee felt like it burned from Hyojin's touch, that warmth spreading throughout her whole body. She couldn't trust herself to open her mouth, and even if she did want to speak, she had no idea what she would say. She especially did not want that driver of Hyojin's to be a fly on the wall to any conversation, either.

Once they got to the hotel, Hyojin waved her driver off when he tried to get out in order to open the doors for them, instead leaving Hyojin and Jeonghwa to let themselves out. Hyojin placed her hand over the small of Jeonghwa's back and led her inside, and the two of them still hadn't said a word to each other. Again, Hyojin's touch sent a burning sensation through Jeonghwa's body, sealing her mouth shut, keeping her from saying a word.

They reached Hyojin's room before long, and Hyojin swiped her card to let them inside. Jeonghwa took off her shoes and took a few steps inside. The room was as exquisite as she remembered, and she walked towards the glass wall at the far edge of the room that was the window to a beautiful view of Pyeongchang's nightlife and the skyline. Jeonghwa had no idea how they were going to do what they agreed on doing, but she already knew that it would go differently than the rushed, drunken hookups in the stories. She figured it would happen as it may. She wanted to wait a little longer, and hopefully get her head wrapped around this whole situation. Hyojin soon joined Jeonghwa by the window, taking in the sight of the city as well. She took in a large breath, letting her mind wander as her gaze roamed the beautiful view in front of her.

"I still find it strange how despite how different our lives became after high school, we wound up here in Pyeongchang at the same time." Hyojin said softly, breaking the silence for the first time since leaving that nightclub.

Jeonghwa glanced over towards Hyojin for a moment before returning her gaze to the skyline, humming quietly. "I couldn't believe it myself. Sometimes I think about how I never would've seen you again if I had lost one game that determined whether or not I made it professionally, or if I never met Solji, Hyelin, and Hani, who persuaded me to go to that concert…"

"I think about that too." Hyojin smiled weakly to herself, "If I had done just one thing differently in my life or career, then I wouldn't have this second chance." She turned her head towards Jeonghwa, "Did you know I almost said no to performing here?"

Surprised, Jeonghwa turned her head to Hyojin, eyebrows furrowed. "Really?"

Hyojin nodded. "I didn't think I was worthy enough to be a representative of South Korea's cultural life. It seemed like too much responsibility, and I know artists who would have filled that role much better than I could. I thought I would be doing much better for the world if I declined the invitation so it would go to someone else, but… Then I realized that refusing to represent my country would probably reflect worse on me than anything I could have done on stage during my show. I was asked to perform here. As a Korean artist, isn't it my responsibility to take that honor and do my best?"

Jeonghwa grinned faintly at that, averting her gaze to the window again. "You really have changed."

"I knew I had to." Hyojin admitted, lowering her head and interlacing her fingers, "I wouldn't have survived in this industry if I kept that mindset I had as a kid. I wouldn't have been able to become happy, either. I certainly wasn't back then."

"Are you happy now?" Jeonghwa asked.

The question made Hyojin fall silent as she thought it over. She returned her gaze to Jeonghwa, looking Jeonghwa's features over, finding her answer. "I think I'm getting there." She said softly, "And you're the reason why." Hesitantly she reached out, taking some of Jeonghwa's hair and gingerly brushing it behind her ear.

Jeonghwa's eyes fell shut when she felt Hyojin's nails brush against the skin behind her ear, her lips parting and chills running across her skin. Suddenly she was reminded of why she was even at Hyojin's hotel at the first place, and she turned her head towards Hyojin, meeting her gaze, waiting, inviting her. Hyojin swallowed, almost disappointedly reminded that they weren't there for sentimentalities. From where her hand still hovered after tucking Jeonghwa's hair behind her ear, Hyojin moved it to rest on the side of Jeonghwa's face, letting her eyes close as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to Jeonghwa's own.

Despite herself, Jeonghwa's body tensed when Hyojin's lips were upon her, a wave passing through her that was both exhilarating and frightening. Exhilarating because she had been thinking of those lips on her, filled with desire after their time dancing, but also frightening, because this was a friend. Her sense and rationality of how she shouldn't be doing this with her friend was overcome by the unruly desire from the club that resurfaced, and Jeonghwa pushed back against Hyojin and threaded her hands into Hyojin's hair, filling Hyojin with the confidence she needed to continue.

Hyojin's free hand went to Jeonghwa's hip, gripping it tightly and goading Jeonghwa into moaning against Hyojin's lips. The sound of Jeonghwa's high plea for more only fueled Hyojin's own desire, and even though she pulled back, she met Jeonghwa's eyes with a smirk curving her lips, grabbing the base of Jeonghwa's shirt and pulling her back towards her bed. Jeonghwa damn near chased Hyojin, the sight of Hyojin's wholly indecent smirk suddenly increasing the urgency to her desire.

Pinning Jeonghwa beneath her on the bed, Hyojin grabbed the bottom hem of Jeonghwa's shirt and lifted it over her head, with Jeonghwa eagerly assisting in removing it. From there, Hyojin worked her way down Jeonghwa's jawline to the base of her neck, where she toyed with the skin there, earning herself an airy moan as a reward. Jeonghwa bit down on her lip to try and control herself as she focused on undoing the buttons of Hyojin's shirt, which was surprisingly difficult when her mind was going blank because of the sensation spreading through her from the point on her neck where Hyojin was sucking at.

Trails of kisses and love marks stained Jeonghwa's skin, with Hyojin slowly working her way downwards. Jeonghwa's back arched the lower Hyojin went, and Hyojin's lips on her collarbone caused Jeonghwa to dig her nails into Hyojin's back, which made Hyojin let out a shaky and sudden breath against Jeonghwa's skin. Jeonghwa's lips curved into a sly grin at that, feeling prideful for getting such a reaction out of Hyojin.

Soon Hyojin slid her hand down Jeonghwa's body, her nails dragging against the skin of Jeonghwa's lower stomach, fully painting Jeonghwa's mind white at the teasing. Jeonghwa had tangled one of her hands into the hair at the back of Hyojin's head, keeping her pressed into the crook of her neck so that Hyojin wouldn't think about letting up. Hyojin continued to tease at the area just above Jeonghwa's hips, and that coupled with the biting and sucking on her neck truly did make Jeonghwa see white. For a few moments, Jeonghwa was able to think clearly since Hyojin stopped teasing and rejoined their lips while she worked on unbuttoning Jeonghwa's jeans, and that moment of clarity suddenly caused Jeonghwa's eyes to shoot open in realization at what was happening.

If Hyojin was unbuttoning her jeans, then they were all the more closer to something that was truly irreversible to their relationship. That threshold they were speeding towards suddenly became something Jeonghwa wasn't ready to meet, and she grabbed Hyojin's hands that had just pulled down the zipper, protesting against Hyojin's lips with a whine.

Hyojin broke off the kiss but still hovered close to Jeonghwa, confused at the sudden derailing. "Do you need me to slow down?" She asked, out of breath from every kiss they shared.

Jeonghwa shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, starting to sit up. Hyojin was still overtop Jeonghwa, so when Jeonghwa tried sitting up, Hyojin ended up straddling her. "What's wrong, Jeonghwa?" She asked again when she got no answer.

"I- I can't do this.." Jeonghwa said tersely, looking around and trying to pull herself away.

Hyojin swung one of her legs over to give Jeonghwa the space to move, and Jeonghwa immediately pushed herself off the bed and onto her feet once she was freed. Hyojin just watched, moving towards the edge of the bed to stand up as well. "Jeonghwa- please, tell me what's wrong-"

"I'm sorry, I really can't do this…" Jeonghwa ran a hand through her hair and continued to look around for the rest of her clothes. She had no luck with that, though she didn't look long enough to truly try, and she fixed the buttons of her jeans.

Hyojin walked over to where she had thrown Jeonghwa's shirt a few moments prior and picked it up, though she was reluctant to hand it over. She hoped that if she held onto it for a few more moments that she could get Jeonghwa to stay long enough that she would tell her what was wrong. "Don't apologize, it's okay, we're fine-"

Jeonghwa just shook her head, letting out a heavy breath. "I… I think I should go." She walked up to Hyojin, expecting her shirt.

Hyojin held the shirt closer to her chest, voice pleading, "Please, stay… We can talk this out, Jeonghwa, just please don't leave me-"

"W-We can do that later, but for now I  _need_  to go." Jeonghwa pleaded back, holding out her hand for her shirt.

Giving in, Hyojin handed Jeonghwa the shirt, but she followed Jeonghwa as she stepped out of the bedroom and into the general area of the hotel room. "At least let my driver take you back, Jeonghwa! Please!"

"I can get my own ride…" Jeonghwa stammered, messily throwing her shirt back on and slipping back into her shoes.

Hyojin forced herself to stay back, standing by the kitchen countertop as she watched Jeonghwa get all her things together to leave. She knew that she couldn't stop Jeonghwa, and that realization was probably more crushing than the fact that Jeonghwa wanted to stop and leave in the first place. "Jeonghwa…"

All Jeonghwa said was a rushed "goodbye" before the door slammed shut behind her, leaving Hyojin to rest her arms on the countertop, covering her face with her hands and lowering her head, questioning everything that she did and what she did wrong.

From outside the hotel room, Jeonghwa hurriedly pulled out her phone. She couldn't call Solji, or Hani, or Hyelin. She didn't want them knowing. That left only one person for Jeonghwa to call, and she raised her phone to her ear, her hands trembling.

"Jiyoon-" Jeonghwa said once the other woman picked up the line, "I'm sorry to ask this, but can you please come get me?" She hated how her voice quivered as she spoke, "No, I'm safe, don't worry… I just… You know what, I'll tell you the whole story when you get here… Thank you, Jiyoon."

Hanging up, Jeonghwa leaned against the wall and let out a heavy sigh as she waited for the elevator. She should've never agreed to come over when she knew that she wasn't willing to go that far with someone she considered a friend, no matter how much she got caught up in the energy at that club.

Jiyoon arrived shortly enough, and Jeonghwa climbed into the passenger's seat. Thankfully Jiyoon didn't ask immediately what the issue was, but she did glance Jeonghwa over to see if she was physically alright.

"Hey, Cap." She greeted, flashing a smile, "Do you want some junk food? I could use some drive thru to destress after this hellish day."

Jeonghwa managed to smile even if it felt hallow and fleeting. She really appreciated that side to Jiyoon. "Sure…"

"Sweet." Jiyoon said, and she drove off. She drove through the city streets, periodically glancing over at Jeonghwa to see if she was wanting to talk. Jeonghwa gave no indication of that however, keeping her gaze focused on the window.

Pulling into the first fast food joint she saw, Jiyoon ordered meals for herself and Jeonghwa, and once they received their food, Jiyoon pulled into a spot in the parking lot, otherwise abandoned at that time at night. She passed out the food from the bag and started eating, and about halfway through her cheeseburger, she decided she was going to pull information out of Jeonghwa even if it meant cornering her.

"So, Cap," Jiyoon began, sucking some ketchup off of her fingers, "what business have you got in a fancy hotel like that when we get semi-decent housing at the Olympic Village for free?"

Jeonghwa shifted in her seat, slowly munching on her fries. "...I was seeing a friend."

"Ah." Jiyoon nodded, "Must be some rich friend."

"It's that rapper, LE."

"Oh, shit." Jiyoon looked over at Jeonghwa, impressed, "That's dope. I'm actually pretty close with that soloist, Hyuna."

"You are?" Jeonghwa's voice carried the most emotion it had since she saw Jiyoon.

Jiyoon nodded. "Yeah! We went to high school together."

"So did me and Hyojin- er, LE." Jeonghwa smiled, almost bittersweet, "We fell out of touch, but… we reconnected here in Pyeongchang after her concert."

"That's cool. I'm happy for you." Jiyoon finished with her burger, throwing the wrapper back into the bag and pulling her drink out of the cup holder. "So. What were you doing at her place so late?"

Jeonghwa inhaled sharply. "That's… uh… That's where things go a little south…"

"Don't worry. I'm waiting for your reasonable explanation on why your hair's all messy, you have lipstick trailing down your face and neck, and your shirt's on backwards. You fooled me twice before, so I'm sure you have some vanilla way to explain this, so I'll give you your chance." Jiyoon said. Strangely enough, she was genuine in thinking Jeonghwa had some excuse.

Jeonghwa clenched her jaw and averted her gaze, keeping silent.

"Oh, hang on, I got something-" Jiyoon perked up, "You got bit by a snake, and that lipstick is from LE trying to suck the poison out!"

"Jiyoon…" Jeonghwa whined.

"Or, wait! She spilled lipstick on you and you couldn't get it off because it's that really stubborn brand, and your shirt's on backwards because you borrowed one of hers in a pinch-"

"I almost slept with Hyojin, okay?!" Jeonghwa blurted out, unable to keep listening to Jiyoon brainstorming excuses, "You finally caught me!"

Jiyoon picked a terrible time to sip from her drink because she nearly spit it out everywhere, choking on her soda from surprise. "Oh, come on!" She growled, hitting her fist against the steering wheel, "Are you kidding me?! The one time I actually believe you?!" Jiyoon stopped when she saw Jeonghwa's shoulders quiver and Jeonghwa glance away as if she was on the verge of crying. Jiyoon immediately calmed down and set her drink down, reaching out to place her hand on Jeonghwa's arm. "Hey, hey… Jeonghwa… What happened back there?"

Jeonghwa sniffed and wiped at her eyes, refusing to meet Jiyoon's gaze. "I-I don't really know what happened to me… We went to a club with friends to unwind after the match, and I was watching her dancing… and it was so addicting to watch… Our other friends left, and the next thing I knew I was grinding on her and she asked me to come back to her hotel, and I agreed, because I was still, like, infatuated with her dancing… We get back to her place and, you know, things happen and stuff… but then I suddenly realized that I wasn't with LE but  _Hyojin_ , and I just… I just had to get out of there… I can't believe I did that… She's my  _friend_ , for hell's sake!"

Jiyoon sat back and listened to Jeonghwa tell the story, and her expression fell when she even heard Jeonghwa swear. The whole situation must have been really bad for Jeonghwa to be reacting so strongly like that. "Are you upset because you found her dancing attractive?" Jiyoon asked, "I mean, in all honesty, LE is super hot, so that's nothing to really be upset about, I think."

"No, LE is  _impossibly_  hot." Jeonghwa shook her head, "I just can't believe I found  _Hyojin_  to be that attractive… It was because she was dancing that it seemed like LE in that moment, not Hyojin."

Jiyoon tilted her head, furrowing her eyebrows. "Jeonghwa… Surely you must know this, but LE and Hyojin are the same person… If you find LE attractive, then you still find Hyojin attractive. They're not two different people."

Jeonghwa turned towards Jiyoon and just blinked, surprised she wasn't understanding. "No… There's a difference. A really important one."

"And?" Jiyoon asked, wanting to know the answer, because she was sure it didn't exist, "What is it?"

Suddenly, when Jeonghwa went to open her mouth, she realized she had no response to that, instead growing flustered. "B-Because Hyojin's my friend, and I find LE really, really attractive! There has to be a difference!"

"Jeonghwa…" Jiyoon flashed a smile, "There's nothing wrong in finding a friend attractive! It happens to the best of us! You don't have to be so scared about it!"

Jeonghwa just whined and placed her hands over her face, shaking her head. "There's a difference… I've known Hyojin for eight years, and I never found her attractive like that… I only started feeling  _that_ way when I saw LE, not Hyojin! There  _has_  to be some sort of difference!"

Jiyoon frowned, wondering if she would be able to get through to Jeonghwa at all. "You said you almost slept with her, right? Why did you stop?"

"Because I don't want to do something like that and regret it with someone I care about…" Jeonghwa let out a heavy sigh.

"You've made it quite obvious that you're not physically attracted to Hyojin, but… do you feel anything else for her?" Jiyoon asked. She leaned closer to try and get a better look at Jeonghwa's face since it was so obscured from view.

"I… I…" Jeonghwa stammered, unable to find an answer, "She's just a friend… We've always been friends…"

Jiyoon reached out to place her hand on Jeonghwa's shoulder. "I think you need to figure some stuff out for yourself, and I think you need to talk to Hyojin, too. If you're really as much of friends as you say, then if you're honest about what you're feeling, then you'll all be able to work it out even if you don't all feel the same."

Jeonghwa exhaled heavily, closing her eyes and hanging her head. "I… I don't want to let this interfere with the finals. I'll worry about it afterwards…"

"I think you'll end up doing worse in the finals if you  _don't_  worry about it now." Jiyoon countered, "You're a fucking wreck right now, Jeonghwa. I think you really need to work this out before our match. You have three days, which might be asking a lot in that short amount of time, but… you can make some progress for then."

Jeonghwa hated how Jiyoon was right. Eventually she just gave in, letting Jiyoon's words finally sink in. "Alright… I'll talk this all out with her, I promise…"

"Good." Jiyoon smiled, patting Jeonghwa's shoulder. She soon reached into the box of fries on Jeonghwa's lap, "I'm stealing these because I love you and I'm here for you but I still require some repayment for my time and services. Also I ate all of mine already."

That got a smile and a laugh out of Jeonghwa. "It's okay. Thank you, Jiyoon… I really appreciate everything you've done for me in Pyeongchang. Also everything you've done for me ever."

"We're a good team, Jeonghwa." Jiyoon nodded, "I'll always have your back."

Jeonghwa smiled wider and nodded back, letting her eyes fall closed, "And I'll always have yours!"

Jiyoon laughed at that and leaned back in her seat, continuing to eat her food. Jeonghwa regained her appetite and joined Jiyoon in eating, letting out a relieved sigh as she did so.

This was finally the stress reliever she needed for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the story climaxed, but jeonghwa didn't :)


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things between Hyojin and Jeonghwa have become quite tense, and Hyelin and Hani are starting to grow suspicious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so my cat ran across my laptop while i was proofreading this so idk if theres weird typos anywhere i didnt catch any but i can also barely catch my own typos so we'll see sorry if they're there anyways enjoy :)

"I know this is asking a lot, but can you  _please_ use your brain for once?"

"...I have an IQ of 145."

"Then act. like. it."

Hani huffed, crossing her arms and sitting back on the bed. She and Hyelin, in their shared room, were sitting on their bed and writing something down on a piece of paper between them on the bed. It was the only time either of them were grateful Solji got her own room, leaving them on their own to plot without Solji knowing.

"Anyways…" Hyelin pulled some hair back from in front of her face, "Tell me  _everything_  that you know about Hyojin and Jeonghwa's relationship. We need to figure out what the hell is going on between them."

Humming in concentration, Hani thought for a moment before she snatched the pen from Hyelin's hand and jotted a few bullet points down on the paper. "Okay… Jeonghwa was  _super_ into watching LE's fancams. She kept calling LE hot and she was drooling all over her so much that it put my fanatics to shame."

"Damn…" Hyelin whispered, shocked, "That's hard to do."

"Exactly! And… hmm… At the match, when Jeonghwa was all bloody after that amazing fight, LE let out this really weird cough when she saw her. I know that cough. I live by that cough. It was a thirst cough."

"See? Look at how much we can discover when we actually use our brains."

"This feels like an attack on me?"

"Aww, your brain really is working." Hyelin grinned and let out a laugh at Hani's offended expression after that.

Hani frowned, pouting her lower lip out. She looked back down at the paper, reviewing their notes. "This all just seems circumstantial… Or all it says is that they're horny for each other, not actually into each other."

"Friends with benefits, maybe?" Hyelin tilted her head, tapping her chin.

"Jeonghwa  _has_  been hanging out at LE's hotel a lot at night…" Hani narrowed her eyes out of suspicion, meeting Hyelin's gaze.

"Ah-ha… So we have our answer?"

"Maybe…" Hani let out a sigh and closed her eyes, "But… I can't believe it. Jeonghwa doesn't seem like that raunchy type. There has to be something else going on… There's no way she's just into LE for her looks. You know, like I am."

Hyelin hummed to that, having to agree. It didn't seem like something Jeonghwa would do. Before she could say anything, it seemed like Hani got an idea.

"Oh, wait!" Hani shouted, a grin forming on her lips, "Do you think Jeonghwa being all touchy-feely with LE means something else? Think back to when we all met! Jeonghwa always had to be touching LE, and she was so happy and smiley around her too!"

"Think back to when we all met, huh…?" Hyelin repeated, glancing away in thought. Suddenly the realization hit her and she just fell into a deadpan. "Oh, fuck. Can't believe I missed that…"

"What?"

"Hyojin told me that she was in love with Jeonghwa."

"SHE WHAT?!" Hani screamed, nearly jumping off the bed from her own surprise, "YOU DIDN'T THINK TO LEAD WITH THAT WHEN WE STARTED GOING OVER THIS?!"

"I forgot! Sue me!" Hyelin threw her arms out to her sides, "Well, okay, she never said 'in love,' per se, but when I asked her if she hated Jeonghwa, she glanced away and whispered something like, 'Quite the opposite…' Now, use your 145 IQ here, what would Hyojin be talking about being the opposite of hate?"

"Don't patronize me." Hani narrowed her eyes, "Love."

"Hooray, Hani." Hyelin said plainly, "Henceforth, Hyojin's in love with Jeonghwa. There's definitely something going on here between them."

Hani just let out a heavy exhale, placing a hand over her mouth. "Wow… I can't believe this…"

"I know." Hyelin said, letting out a sigh of her own, "So what do we do?"

"We have to get them together, obviously."

"And how do we do that?"

Before Hani could open her mouth to answer, a knock came at their door, and soon Solji opened the door slightly. "Yah, what's the reason for all that shouting from your room?"

"...Sex?" Hani panicked trying to think of an excuse, so she said the first semi-reasonable thing that came to her mind. Of course that was the wrong thing to say.

Hyelin didn't even react, instead she just pointed to the paper Hani had in her hands. "Hani, could you please pass me that paper?"

Hani handed the paper over to Hyelin without thinking anything of it, and Hyelin rolled it up and smacked Hani right upside the head for her answer.

Solji walked further inside the room, just watching Hani and Hyelin with a strange look. "You two are acting weird today."

"Maybe it's the nerves for today's match." Hyelin said, making eye contact with Hani to force her to play along.

Hani nodded along, and that was enough for Solji to be persuaded. She pouted her lips and climbed onto the bed, settling in beside Hani and Hyelin. Hyelin took the paper they were using and tossed it on the other side of the bed so Solji couldn't read it.

"Don't be too nervous." Solji flashed a grin, placing her hands on their shoulders, "We're gonna do great out there. And no matter if we win or lose, we still have a chance at a medal. Our time here isn't over yet."

Hyelin smiled faintly in response to that. "The Canadian team hasn't been doing too well this year, so we have a chance, even if we did barely lose to them before."

"Exactly. Keep thinking positively, you two. We'll do great." Solji smiled wider.

Hani swayed to herself, lost in her own head. "The Canadian team has that really cute skip, too."

Solji's eyes flashed with anger at Hani's comment, and Hyelin just stared at Hani. "Aish- Could you hand me that paper again?"

"Sure- ...Wait." Hani stopped and whined, "You're gonna hit me with it."

"I won't, Hani." Hyelin said seriously, shaking her head, "Promise."

Giving in, Hani reached over and passed the paper to Hyelin. Hyelin immediately handed it over to Solji, who rolled the paper up and smacked Hani with it instead. Even though she wanted to be, Hani couldn't stay mad, and she just started laughing with a wide grin on her face. Hyelin started laughing next, and eventually all of them couldn't help themselves. Solji leaned closer and pulled the two of them into a hug, grinning and holding them tightly.

"We're going to do great." Solji said, squeezing Hani and Hyelin tighter, "I'm so proud of us."

Hani smiled and closed her eyes in the embrace. "I love you guys."

Hyelin tried to say something but she just wheezed, choking out in a strange voice, "I can't breathe…"

Solji and Hani both pulled away to check on Hyelin, who drew in a large breath and put up a haphazard thumbs-up. "But I love you guys too, even if you do suffocate me."

Solji and Hani just looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

Jeonghwa awoke to an aching sensation pulsing through her body. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, Jeonghwa slowly sat up, hissing to herself at the pain when she used the muscles in her abdomen. She suddenly remembered the bandages and sighed, pushing herself off of her bed. She carefully made her way into her bathroom, and she saw how she had bled through the bandage on her head, so she replaced it with another. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of her neck when her hair was pushed back, and Jeonghwa froze at the sight. Her neck was riddled with purplish blemishes, and they trailed down to her chest and beyond. Memories of the night before filled her mind, and she let out a sigh, eyes falling shut.

She returned out to her bedroom and she picked up her phone, seeing how she received a message an hour ago. The name on the message made her breath hitch and her chest constrict.

_**[Hyojin:] Please let me know if you got back to your place safely last night. I want to make sure you're alright** _

Jeonghwa felt her grip on her phone tighten considerably. It was such a thoughtful thing to do, and her heart panged at how worried she had made Hyojin. The whole situation made her sick, and Jeonghwa didn't even want to face Hyojin. She still felt obligated to respond, just so she didn't give Hyojin a heart attack.

_**[Jeonghwa:] I did.** _

The response she got back was quick, far faster than she was ever used to seeing from Hyojin.

_**[Hyojin:] Thank goodness. I was really worried** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] I'm sorry.** _

_**[Hyojin:] I'm sorry too.** _

Jeonghwa bit down on her thumb, staring at her screen. The last thing she wanted to do was face the elephant in the room, and she had no idea what to say, so she just left Hyojin on read. For once, that left Hyojin up to double-texting. Jeonghwa frowned when she saw Hyojin send another message. Normally Jeonghwa was the one who had to do that to keep a conversation, so that meant Hyojin really needed to talk. It filled Jeonghwa with dread.

_**[Hyojin:] Hyelin and them all have a match today. Will you be going?** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] Probably.** _

_**[Hyojin:] I was going to go too.** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] Really?** _

_**[Hyojin:] They're my friends too. I want to see them do well** _

_**[Hyojin:] We don't have to talk about it, Jeonghwa. We can just go to support everyone. We can wait if you're not ready yet** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] I'm not ready.** _

Jeonghwa could see how Hyojin read her message but did not respond for over five minutes after reading it. Hyojin was probably hurt, upset, frustrated, or some combination of emotions. Jeonghwa felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest and how every message exchanged between them filled her with dread and regret.

_**[Hyojin:] I won't rush you** _

_**[Hyojin:] Can you tell me one thing though? And then I'll drop it until you're ready** _

_**[Hyojin:] Will we be ok?** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] I can't say.** _

_**[Hyojin:] I see… I'm sorry, Jeonghwa** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] But… I want us to be okay.** _

_**[Hyojin:] Me too** _

Jeonghwa let out a shaky breath. That was enough for her.

_**[Jeonghwa:] I'll see you at the match.** _

_**[Jeonghwa:] :)** _

Jeonghwa turned her phone off and put it away, needing a break away from it. She buried her face in her hands, remaining like that for a few minutes as thoughts filled and left her mind.

What on earth kind of situation did she get herself into…

* * *

_The waiting was the worst part._

_She sent in a video recording, and then she was asked to come audition in front of some judges. Then she was asked to come in to audition in front of the head of the company. Her nerves were getting the best of her. She showed her abilities three times and there was still no answer? Did she fail her auditions and they just haven't gotten around to tell her yet? Would they even tell her if she failed?_

_Hyojin swore she picked out the best songs that fit her strengths. Songs that fit yet showcased her range. Songs that let her show off the best of her rapping ability. Songs with choreographies that she could manage. She thought she was smart about all of it, she thought she was careful, but was it just not enough? The waiting game was slowly killing her. She hated every passing second._

_Hyojin looked through other management companies' websites, looking for backup plans should it turn out that she really did fail her audition. She invested so much into her dream- she couldn't just quit and look for something new to do. She had to succeed no matter what, or else she didn't have anything else to turn to._

_While she was searching, her phone buzzed, and Hyojin glanced over at it, with some hope growing inside that it could be the agency. Of course, it wasn't, and every optimistic thought inside of her was dashed seeing the name flash across her screen._

**[Troublemaker:] Hey… I hope you're doing okay. It's been a long time since we talked.**

**[Troublemaker:] And I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, but there's something really important that I want to ask you.**

**[Troublemaker:] I feel really ridiculous asking it… I kind of want to just say nevermind and forget about this whole thing. But I already started and I don't want to waste your time… You already are busy enough as is.**

**[Troublemaker:] Sorry. I'm talking a lot. Text me back when you get the chance. Hope everything's okay.**

_Hyojin sighed. She had been blowing off a lot of Jeonghwa's messages lately, and Jeonghwa seemed to have noticed. Jeonghwa looked to have been second guessing every time she even talked to Hyojin. Something inside of Hyojin did feel guilty, but she was legitimately busy. She wouldn't tell Jeonghwa why, though. Just in case everything did fall through and Hyojin failed, she didn't want Jeonghwa to know that she was stupid enough to even give this music career a chance despite how it was so hard to succeed in the field._

**[Hyojin:] what do you need to ask?**

**[Troublemaker:] I don't know if you've been keeping up with the school after you graduated haha but the hockey team made the provincial championship. Our match is later in the week… I would really like it if you could maybe come watch?**

**[Troublemaker:] If you can't I understand… I want to at least ask so I can just say I tried, even if you can't make it… I can send you all the info later if you can come.**

**[Troublemaker:] It would mean so much to me if you came and watched.**

**[Hyojin:] i'll see if i can go. send me the info and i'll try and make it**

**[Troublemaker:] !!!!!!!!!! Really????? I'm so happy!!!! I'll send you everything later!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!**

**[Troublemaker:] And good luck with everything that you've been doing since school let out!!!!!! I know you're super busy and I hope everything goes great and that you're doing great :)**

_Hyojin smiled faintly at her screen. Jeonghwa was so genuinely sweet that sometimes Hyojin wondered if her teeth would rot if she spent too much time around her. Her optimism could be annoying at times, but Hyojin knew that deep down she found it charming._

_Setting her phone down, Hyojin let out a breath, situating herself on her bed. She didn't feel as anxious as she did before Jeonghwa texted her. Talking to Jeonghwa was a good way to keep her mind off of her worries with her auditions._

_Maybe she should go to that championship after all._

* * *

When Jeonghwa arrived at the stadium for the curling match, she was surprised to see how Hyojin had made it there before her, resting her chin over her fists, watching the rink with interest. Jeonghwa sat down next to Hyojin, but she pointedly left a good amount of space between them.

"Hey." She said as she sat down, "You got here early."

Hyojin looked up at Jeonghwa when she arrived, and she certainly noticed the gap between them once she did. "I was nearly late the last time. I didn't want that to happen again."

"Ah." Jeonghwa hummed. She didn't really know what to say after that, so a heavy silence fell between them. She picked at her fingernails out of nervousness as she sat there, not knowing what else to do.

Hyojin cleared her throat amidst the silence between them, trying to lighten the mood. "Heeyeon's been all over that one girl from the other team. I counted Solji trying to kill her at least three times, and I think Hyelin's getting tired of holding Solji back. This could turn into pair's curling soon, I bet." She joked, a forced and fleeting smile rising to her lips.

"Again?" Jeonghwa sounded exasperated, and she looked down at the rink, "Oh, it's that Canadian skip. Hani was like that the last time they played Canada too."

"Their antics are more amusing than the game itself, sadly." Hyojin sighed, rubbing at her chin.

"Yeah… I zoned out super bad whenever I watched their matches alone. It's pretty slow."

Hyojin hummed to that, keeping her gaze on the rink. "Mmm… It looks like Hani's with Hyelin now. She might actually be focusing on preparing for the match."

On the ice, Hani did her best to casually approach Hyelin, resting her weight against her broom. "Jeonghwa joined LE." She whispered.

"I noticed." Hyelin nodded, keeping her gaze off of the stands to try and act natural, "They're leaving room for Jesus between them. It's weird."

"Did you notice Jeonghwa's scarf?"

"She's wearing a scarf? Impossible. She never gets cold."

"I don't think it's there because she's cold, Hyelin." Hani drew in a sharp breath, "Trust me when I say a scarf is a good way to cover up evidence from a good time the night prior, if you catch my drift…"

Hyelin's eyes widened. "You don't think…"

Hani nodded slowly. "And if there's room for Jesus… then maybe there might be some regret thrown in the mix."

Hyelin's mouth made an 'o' shape, and she covered her mouth with a hand in shock. "No way…"

"God, I wish we could just ask them for the juicy details."

"I know. It's thrilling just speculating about it. Also slightly depressing given this tragic twist of fate."

"I wish my love life was this exciting, sleeping with idols."

"Your love life is hilarious for outside spectators, but I can see how it'd be disappointing actually living through something so pathetic."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Hyelin's gaze flitted across the rink and then to the stands, "Alright, go chat up the Canadian skip again. I think it might look suspicious if you're not taking up this fine opportunity to do so. We need to act natural."

Hani nodded and flashed a smile, giving a thumbs-up. "Gladly!"

When Hani walked off, Hyelin glanced out of the corner of her eye to where Hyojin and Jeonghwa were sitting in the stands. She tried not to turn her head towards them so that they wouldn't notice she was watching them. Hyelin could make out how they both were staring at the rink, sitting apart from each other, not speaking a word to one another. Hyelin could only frown at the sight.

Something must have happened between them for things to look so strained.

* * *

_Suddenly Hyojin remembered why she never went to a hockey match before. It was so boring to her._

_Yeah, sometimes the players would hit each other and throw each other into the glass walls. But even then, Hyojin didn't really find the whole sport appealing. She was really glad she had brought her notebook with her so she wasn't bored the whole night. She was also sick of Googling the rules every five minutes to follow along with the game. Sports really weren't her thing._

_Every now and then, Hyojin's gaze would flicker up from her book, searching out the number '82' on the ice. If she caught sight of Jeonghwa playing, she would smile faintly and she'd resume writing. She was working on some piece, a piece she wasn't really thinking too much about, letting the words flow onto the paper as they came to her. She wasn't nitpicking every word, but rather just letting her natural emotions stain the paper, a spontaneous piece._

_She vaguely remembered from her literature classes about how there was a whole European movement of poetry where suddenly the poets would write for the everyday man, in everyday language. Works were a spontaneous recollection of one's memories and emotions during a particular moment. It was meant to be a breathing work, natural, not processed through a strenuous revision period. Hyojin wondered if she was writing her lyrics like those Romantic poets would write their works: free, spontaneously, with no limitations. She rather enjoyed that style of writing._

_It was incredible how much time could pass while writing, and soon Hyojin caught sight of the scoreboard, seeing how it was already the last period with only a few minutes left. She shut her book, realizing that she could probably suffer for those last few minutes actually watching the game. Neither team had scored any points; the score was 0-0. Hyojin wondered what the hell would even happen if no team had any points by the end._

_As she was watching, Hyojin couldn't see that 82 number anywhere on the ice. Would they really bench Jeonghwa in the last few minutes if they needed points badly? Wasn't Jeonghwa supposed to be a prodigy or whatever? Hyojin remembered how many times she'd hear over the school announcements about the hockey team's victories, and how Jeonghwa was frequently named MVP. Jeonghwa even trained at an Olympic center one time. Shouldn't she be out on the ice?_

_The clock ran out on the period and still no one had scored. Hyojin furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips: does that mean she could go home now? Was it over? She looked over at the scoreboard again and saw how ten minutes were re-added to the timer, and then she watched how the whole team was together, going over strategy on the bench. Quickly Hyojin looked up what happens if no team scores in the game, and she saw how they would go into a 'golden goal' sudden death overtime. Alright. That wasn't scary._

_Everyone was on their feet in the stadium, yet Hyojin stayed in her chair, hands clasped in front of her mouth. She watched as play resumed, and she saw how only three people were on the ice for each team. She saw that 82 among the few players and let out a shaky sigh, praying for the best._

_Each team was playing far more aggressively now that it was overtime, taking more shots on goal seemingly out of desperation. The goalies blocked every shot, and soon that ten minutes was down to five, with time quickly running out._

_Jeonghwa had gotten cycled out of play, but she was sent back onto the ice once there were only four minutes left in overtime. Around that time, the other team had pulled out their goalie when the puck was in Jeonghwa's side of the ice, replacing their goalie with another attacker, abandoning all defense for offense. It worked, seeing how they had managed to keep the puck under their control for the longest time, and how Jeonghwa and her team were scrambling not to let a goal score._

_At one point, however, the one forward on the other team passed the puck back to someone closer to the halfline. The puck, probably moving too fast for the player to catch, collided with the blade of the player's skate, ricocheting off and into clear ice. Jeonghwa was near the center line, and she skated as fast as possible towards the puck, swiping it before any of the other players could reclaim it under their control. She made way for the empty half of the ice, trying to outrun the other team's players._

_The stadium was roaring at that point, and Hyojin finally stood up from her seat, watching Jeonghwa with wide eyes. As soon as Jeonghwa noticed how the other team was gaining on her, she took a blind shot at the empty net just before one of the attackers barreled into her and knocked her down. From where she fell on the ice, Jeonghwa's eyes squeezed shut from the pain that coursed through her body, but soon the wail of a siren filled her ears, and her eyes slowly opened to see how the whole of her team had jumped off the bench and skated towards her, cheering._

_Hyojin saw the puck slide into the empty net, and she jumped into the air, unable to contain her excitement. Old classmates and students from her school noticed this and shot her a weird look, because when have they ever seen_ the  _Ahn Hyojin so excited, jumping for joy, smiling widely, and shouting 'YES!' Hyojin regressed into her typical self for a second, sending those old classmates a glare that caused them all to glance away, freeing Hyojin to watch the ice with a wide smile on her face._

_They had given Jeonghwa the trophy, and she spun around with it, pirouetting on the ice excitedly. One of her teammates stopped her, and Jeonghwa stumbled from dizziness but with a goofy grin still on her face._

_Hyojin watched with a fond look in her eyes, feeling a rush of pride sweep over her seeing Jeonghwa with the trophy. However, Hyojin was interrupted by her phone ringing, and she checked her phone with a bitter look. She didn't recognize the number but she figured she should answer it, so she grabbed her things and went up the stairs to the platform outside the seating area._

_The last she saw of the rink and the players was Jeonghwa tripping on the ledge leading up to the players' bench, and it brought a faint smile to Hyojin's lips as she raised her phone to her ear, answering that phone call._

* * *

Following the end of the match, Jeonghwa led Hyojin through the stadium to reach the athletes' section so they could meet up with Solji, Hani, and Hyelin. Conversation was minimal, hallow, even. Hyojin would make a comment about the stadium or Jeonghwa's ease in navigating it, and Jeonghwa wouldn't say much in response. The silence between them was heavy and strained, and both of them knew it. Hyojin seemed to have already accepted it with a depressed air to her like there was nothing she could do about it, but Jeonghwa was starting to loathe the tension between them.

Their tense expressions vanished when they saw Solji and the others, and instead they smiled when they saw the three girls running towards them, absolutely ecstatic. Solji ran to Jeonghwa first, lifting Jeonghwa into the air with a hug. That left Hyelin and Hani both running straight to Hyojin, nearly knocking the poor girl over, though that was mostly Hani's fault.

"We're going to the finals!" Hani shouted excitedly, squeezing Hyojin tight.

"I'm happy," Hyojin croaked out in a strained voice, "and dying."

Hyelin had pulled away to give Hyojin some air, but she saw how Hani was still squeezing Hyojin as tightly as possible. Hyelin grabbed Hani's arm, trying to pull her off. "Let her breathe!"

Hani loosened her arms but otherwise didn't let Hyojin go. Hyojin just accepted her fate with a resigned sigh. "It's fine. I'll take it." She told Hyelin over Hani's shoulder.

Hyojin's blouse had ridden up slightly from the hug, and Hani caught sight of scratch marks on her lower back, eyes going wide. She jumped off of Hyojin and flashed an apologetic smile, stepping back so she'd be side-to-side with Hyelin. That opened up a window for Solji to approach Hyojin, leaving Hani and Hyelin a few seconds to reconvene.

"There's scratches all over Hyojin's back." Hani said in a hushed whisper.

Hyelin glanced at Hyojin then at Jeonghwa, almost grimacing. "Did not expect that kind of thing from Jeonghwa, but okay, cool… Bit TMI…"

"This is so weird!" Hani continued to whisper, "I feel like I know something I shouldn't."

"We definitely shouldn't know." Hyelin cleared her throat, noticing how attention was falling on them, "Act natural!"

Hani plastered a grin on her face to reintegrate into conversation with the others, and she focused her gaze on Jeonghwa. "You're not the only one here with a shot at the gold anymore!"

"That's so great!" Jeonghwa beamed with a bright smile, "Let's both bring home the gold!"

"I think this calls for a celebration tonight, right, ladies?" Solji grinned.

"No!" Hyojin and Jeonghwa both shouted at once, earning odd stares. Hyojin coughed and kept her mouth shut, leaving Jeonghwa to explain that one.

Jeonghwa glanced frantically between Hyojin and everyone else, unable to come up with an excuse. "Well… I'm obviously still hurt and I need to recover… And, uh… I'm still really sore from yesterday…"

Hyelin saw a grin break out on Hani's lips, so she stomped on her foot to wipe that smirk off her face. "Say nothing."

"The club last night kinda made things worse for my injuries, so maybe let's not celebrate again…" Jeonghwa said guiltily, hoping a pretty smile would cover for her. She unconsciously scratched at her neck, and peeking out from underneath her scarf was a purple mark.

Hani noticed how Hyelin's jaw dropped at the sight, and she covered Hyelin's mouth with her hand before any sound could come out. "I know. Ignore it."

"Don't let me stop you guys, though!" Jeonghwa smiled more genuinely, expression softening, "I'm so happy for you guys! You  _should_  celebrate! Making the finals is so exciting!"

Solji frowned at that, but she understood Jeonghwa's concern. She didn't want to jeopardize Jeonghwa's own upcoming match, so she wouldn't push anything on her. "Feel better soon, Jeonghwa. We can always do something once our matches are all over."

Jeonghwa nodded. "Yeah, that sounds great!"

"Well, we won't hold you any longer if you still need time to rest." Hyelin cut in, "We still need to get all of our stuff and everything before we go, so you can start heading back."

"I think I will." Jeonghwa said, gaze flitting over towards Hyojin for a brief moment. She then turned back to Hyelin and the others, waving, "I'll catch you guys later!"

As Jeonghwa started to walk off, Hyojin waited until she was a bit further away to approach Solji, taking one of Solji's hands in between both of hers. "If you three do decide to go someplace to celebrate tonight, it's on me." Hyojin said, flashing a warm grin. She dropped Solji's hand and then followed Jeonghwa, leaving the athlete area.

Hyojin had slipped something into Solji's hand, and once Hyojin left, Solji looked to see what it was, eyes shooting wide at the sight. "Woah…"

"What is it?" Hyelin asked, stepping closer to get a better look.

"It's Hyojin's black card…" Solji said in amazement.

Hyelin gasped. "Let's keep it."

"What?!" Hani sputtered, "W-We can't keep it! We have to give it back once we're done with it! Right, Solji?" Hani looked over to see how Solji was looking at Hyelin with a pensive expression as if she was considering Hyelin's words, "...Not you too!"

"I know we shouldn't… And we won't." Solji muttered, "But I  _was_ fantasizing about the idea for a moment."

Hyelin snickered at that, feeling victorious. Hani couldn't believe it.

However, typical for Solji, she turned serious shortly enough after she tucked the credit card away. "Alright, you two have some explaining to do. Don't think I haven't noticed you two acting so sneaky and hush-hush. What's going on?"

Hyelin crossed her arms and huffed, shooting Solji a dark look as if she was mad for being backed into a corner like that, having to think of an excuse. Before she could say anything, Hani jumped in.

"F-Fine… We'll tell you." Hani said, letting out a defeated exhale. She caught how Hyelin was glaring at her, mouthing some threat at her, like 'What the hell are you doing, you idiot,' or 'If you tell Solji I swear to god you won't like what's coming for you,' or something like that.

Hani closed her eyes and turned away, unable to meet Solji's gaze. "...I want to ask that Canadian skip out to dinner and Hyelin's been helping me brainstorm ways to ask."

Hyelin froze, actually impressed by how good that lie was. Solji froze too, but for very different reasons, and her expression fell and she glanced away. "...Oh." She whispered, "Well, don't let me stop you…"

Next thing either of them knew, Solji immediately left the two of them for the locker room, not even sparing them another glance. Hani rubbed her arm, feeling guilty, and Hyelin wasn't too thrilled about the change in events either.

"I don't know whether to say you did good or fucked up." Hyelin said, placing her hands on her hips.

Hani let out a sad hum at that and turned around, walking away. Hyelin noticed how she wasn't heading to the locker room, so she wasn't going to try and console Solji. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Well, now I kind of have to ask that skip out, right?"

"...No, Hani. You don't. Please don't."

"...Okay."

Hyelin shook her head and sighed, and she started off for the locker room. "Let's go…"

Hani watched Hyelin walk off, but she stayed in place for a few more moments, glancing over towards where Hyojin and Jeonghwa left, wondering how things were holding up with them.

Down one of the corridors, Jeonghwa waited for Hyojin to catch up with her before she linked her arm with Hyojin's. Hyojin for sure wasn't complaining, but it was a weird and sudden shift from how Jeonghwa refused to be within a foot of her earlier.

"What's up?" Hyojin asked, glancing Jeonghwa over curiously.

"I changed my mind." Jeonghwa said tersely, "I'm ready to talk now."

Hyojin furrowed her eyebrows out of surprise. "You are? Already?"

Jeonghwa's composed demeanor slowly began to unravel. "W-Well, no, not really, but I realized that I can't hold off on it anymore, so I'm gonna do it anyway. If this match taught me anything, it's that I can't stand how things are between us now. I need to fix this."

Hyojin just nodded to that, averting her gaze and pulling out her phone. "Well, I'll tell my driver-"

"No." Jeonghwa cut her off, "I want to do this in the Olympic Village, not your hotel."

Jeonghwa's insistence threw Hyojin off, leaving her confused. "Okay, but… Why?"

"I don't want to feel suffocated by the idol side of you. I just want to talk to you, not LE."

Hyojin narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out Jeonghwa's angle. There was something hurtful about Jeonghwa not liking the idol part of her either, but Hyojin bit that down. "If it'll make you more comfortable, then fine." She said, sliding her phone back into her bag.

Jeonghwa tried to ignore the bite to Hyojin's words, instead keeping her line of sight focused ahead of her as she led Hyojin towards the Olympic Village.

* * *

_**[Hyelin:] hey maybe if you clear everything up with solji you might be able to get w her and that'll leave me with my own room instead of having to share one** _

_**[gay mess #1:] What are you talking about?** _

_**[Hyelin:] chat up solji and get on that so i can have my own room in peace lol i know you want to** _

_**[gay mess #1:] This is Solji.** _

_**[Hyelin:] what** _

_**[Hyelin:] no ur not** _

_**[gay mess #1:] Yes, I am. Who do you think this is?** _

_**[Hyelin:] hani stop with the games** _

_**[gay mess #1:] No, this is definitely Solji.** _

_**[Hyelin:] well fuck** _

_**[gay mess #1:] How on earth do you mix up 'Solji' and 'Hani' in your contacts? You should be able to tell this isn't Hani.** _

_**[Hyelin:] haha well** _

_**[Hyelin:] you see, i dont actually have you and hani saved in here under your actual names** _

_**[gay mess #1:] …Then what are we saved under, pray tell?** _

_**[Hyelin:] …** _

_**[Hyelin:] gay mess #1 and gay mess #2** _

_**[Hyelin:] you see i THOUGHT hani was the 1 but i guess the fuck not** _

_**[Hyelin:] i have jeonghwa as gay mess #3 and hyojin as gay mess #4** _

_**[Hyelin:] … or was hyojin #3** _

_**[gay mess #1:] Hyelin, I think you need a new naming system.** _

_**[Hyelin:] yeah got that** _

_**[gay mess #1:] Hmph.** _

_**[Hyelin:] am i in trouble** _

_**[gay mess #1:] Perhaps. Tell me one thing, however. Is Hani actually into me?** _

_**[Hyelin:] oh incredibly so** _

_**[Hyelin:] she's had a dirty little secret crush on you for as long as i can remember** _

_**[gay mess #1:] Interesting.** _

_**[gay mess #1:] It looks like Hani and I need to have a little chat…** _

_**[Hyelin:] cool** _

_**[Hyelin:] ok hani DONT get mad but i might have just set you up with solji without intending to lmaoooo you can thank me later and dont ask me how** _

_**[gay mess #1:] This is still Solji.** _

_**[Hyelin:] FUCK** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] I'll let you know if you're in trouble after I see how this conversation with Hani goes.** _

_**[Hyelin:] thats not scary at all** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] Hani, there's something I need to say… I've always hated how you would flirt with the other teams whenever we'd play because I was jealous that they were the only ones you would look at in that way, but now that Hyelin told me you actually do see me that way, I'm not afraid of saying that I feel the same.** _

_**[Hyelin:] solji what the FUCK do you have hani and me's contacts set as bc this is still fucking hyelin** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] Oh… You saw that…?** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] …And you're 'Dumb' and 'Dumber.'** _

_**[Hyelin:] …please tell me i'm dumb** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] …You're 'Dumber.'** _

_**[Hyelin:] i hate this fucking family** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] At least you're not a 'Gay Mess.'** _

_**[Hyelin:] oh shut up you are SUCH a gay mess** _

_**[Hyelin:] you tried to confess to hani over TEXT** _

_**[Hyelin:] and it was the most awkward thing i ever read what the hell even was that sis?** _

_**[Hyelin:] just push her against a wall and make out with her i'm sure she'll be absolutely ecstatic** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] Also interesting.** _

_**[gay mess #1 (THIS IS SOLJI):] ...Do you happen to know where Hani is right now?** _

_**[Hyelin:] she's watching the women's short track racing i'd hurry if i were you before she starts thinking too much about the racers' toned thighs** _

Hyelin didn't get a text back. Instead, she just heard the door to Solji's room slam close and Solji's running footsteps from where she sat on her bed.

If only getting Hyojin and Jeonghwa together like that were that easy.

* * *

_Hyojin was running- yes, actually, physically running -through the stadium, the ghost of a grin on her lips as she searched the long halls of each corridor for the athletes' section. She had slipped past some guards, so she was sure she was on the right track. She wondered why there was no signs anywhere saying where the locker rooms were or anything of the sort. Kids could get lost down there._

_She couldn't help how excited she was to find Jeonghwa, which explained why she was running and smiling, two very rare things for her to do. Hyojin finally heard back from the agency she auditioned for, and she wanted Jeonghwa to be the first to hear the news. That also involved having to explain how she had been secretly practicing dancing and singing and rapping her whole senior year, and how she had dedicated herself to auditions and practicing after she graduated. Hyojin figured she'd explain it all whenever she found Jeonghwa. If she found Jeonghwa. She still was having a difficult time in the corridors._

_As she was right about to reach a fork in the road, Hyojin heard an unmistakable loud laugh resonate nearby, and Hyojin came to a halt and glanced around the corner. She was definitely not allowed to be back there, so she proceeded with stealthy caution, pressing her back to the wall and only peeking her head around the corner to see. There she found Jeonghwa, a ridiculously large grin on her face, holding the trophy like a baby. A large grin broke out on Hyojin's lips and she stepped out to run up to Jeonghwa, but a sight she wasn't expecting stopped her._

_Other girls had surrounded Jeonghwa, and Jeonghwa was talking to two men in suits animatedly about what happened on the ice. Hyojin squinted to get a better look, and she saw a red lanyard hanging out of one of the men's back pockets with a design of five interlocked white rings printed on the lanyard. The air left Hyojin's lungs immediately; she didn't know if Jeonghwa had caught on, but she was talking to Olympic scouts. Hyojin definitely couldn't intrude._

_She walked closer to the wall again, not wanting to stand out in the middle of the hall like a clueless idiot. Hyojin figured she'd wait until Jeonghwa finished talking to approach her. As she waited, she noticed how her excitement from before morphed into an anxious feeling inside of her. There was something about seeing Jeonghwa looking so happy with her other teammates, laughing with them, all talking to the two men in suits that made Hyojin's heart twist in a way she hated. Hyojin felt like she was intruding on something she shouldn't be part of, and her mind suddenly equated that momentary intrusion to a history of being involved in Jeonghwa's life when she shouldn't be. Jeonghwa was such a nice girl, so happy, so animated, so friendly and kind. Hyojin was none of that, and all she did was treat Jeonghwa terribly. In that moment, Hyojin felt overwhelmed with a poignant feeling of not belonging in Jeonghwa's life, like it'd be better if Hyojin wasn't in Jeonghwa's life to bother her at all._

_No one noticed her presence, so Hyojin clenched her jaw and turned around, leaving the way she came without looking back even once._

_Soon the men in suits had left, leaving Jeonghwa to her teammates and friends. While she had been all smiles with everyone before because of the victory euphoria, those feelings subsided, and Jeonghwa remembered something very important. She glanced further down the halls, a wistful look on her face._

_One of her teammates noticed the sudden change to Jeonghwa's demeanor. "Hey, Jeonghwa… What's with the sad face? We're champions now!"_

_Jeonghwa flashed a fleeting grin, still keeping her gaze down the halls. "Oh, um… It's nothing, I just… I'm waiting for somebody."_

" _Ooo, is it a boyfriend?"_

_Jeonghwa shook her head. "No, not a boy…" She drew in a sharp breath, averting her gaze to the ground after more time passed, "Hmm… I guess she didn't come after all…"_

_Hyojin continued down the halls, walking as fast as she could to get out of there. Countless thoughts filled her mind, and the silence of the halls forced her to face every single one. Jeonghwa was a sweet girl who deserved friends who were just as bright and cheery as she was, friends who could treat her well and make her feel loved. Hyojin thought she could give Jeonghwa none of those things. Those feelings all surged through her at once while she walked away, and that anxiety she felt around Jeonghwa slowly disappeared. Hyojin always felt so unnerved by the knots she'd feel in her stomach around Jeonghwa, and those feelings would only leave her the less Jeonghwa was around. Jeonghwa deserved someone who loved being around her, not someone who both loved and hated the feelings of being in Jeonghwa's presence like Hyojin._

_Hyojin had to stop herself from biting her own tongue out of anger when she realized she was crying by the time she reached her car._

* * *

As Jeonghwa pulled out her keys to unlock her room at the Olympic Village, she fought off a bitter smile that tried to show on her lips.

"This is a little embarrassing to reveal after spending so much time in your hotel…" Jeonghwa admitted, keeping her gaze low and on the doorknob, "Don't judge it too much."

Hyojin frowned at the assumption. "I won't judge…" She said quietly, following Jeonghwa inside. She didn't say anything further about the room so that Jeonghwa wouldn't misconstrue it, and also because Hyojin truly didn't care if it wasn't five-star hotel quality.

Jeonghwa led Hyojin to her bed and climbed on top of it, sitting by the wall to lean her back against it. She patted the space next to her for Hyojin to join her.

"So…" Jeonghwa began once Hyojin settled in beside her, "About everything that happened…"

"Yeah, Jeonghwa…" Hyojin drew in a breath to steel herself, and she reached out for Jeonghwa's hand resting between them. If they were finally going to be honest about themselves, then Hyojin figured it was finally time to tell Jeonghwa. "There's something you need to know…"

"Last night was a mistake." Jeonghwa said forcefully, effectively cutting Hyojin off.

The bluntness of Jeonghwa's response stunned Hyojin, suddenly making the words she was pondering vanish and her mouth go dry. She began wondering if she should even bring up what she felt if Jeonghwa was already shutting down everything that happened the night before.

"I was caught up in the heat of the moment while we were dancing, and I did things I shouldn't have done." Jeonghwa let out a shaky breath to try and compose herself to keep speaking, "I'm glad it ended when it did. I would've felt far worse if I woke up knowing things had went, you know… all the way."

Hyojin still felt stunned, head in her hand, rubbing at her forehead as she tried to understand. "Then why did you act that way at the club?"

Jeonghwa glanced away, picking at her hands out of nervousness. "The way you were dancing… it reminded me of how LE would be like on stage. I forgot it was you who I was with, Hyojin. When I remembered it was you, I just couldn't do it… I didn't want to ruin our friendship because of LE."

Letting out a confused sigh, Hyojin closed her eyes and shook her head. "Wait, wait… I don't understand any of this… Why are you talking about me like that? LE? Hyojin? They're both me, last I checked."

Jeonghwa shook her head. "You're different as an idol… You have a different charisma and everything. I don't like that side of you, Hyojin. I wanted to reconnect with the real you, not get confused by LE…"

"LE  _is_  the real me…" Hyojin rubbed her temple, "Yeah, I act different on stage, but that's mostly just to keep myself in line. It's not like I turn into someone entirely new."

"...Yeah, you kind of do." Jeonghwa insisted, crossing her arms, "You're so much more charismatic and charming on stage… I'm starting to think I hate that part about you, how you perform… It leaves me so confused and conflicted and it makes me unable to think rationally! That's why I did all those stupid things last night! I would never do any of that with you! It was all because of that stupid LE!"

Hyojin clenched her jaw and created distance between herself and Jeonghwa, a hurt and angered expression rising on her features. "Do you have any idea how hurtful that is to hear? That's who I am now, Jeonghwa! I  _am_ that person on stage, so if you hate this 'LE' idea that you've created… then you hate  _me,_  Hyojin! And hearing you hate that part of me so openly… I can't even begin to describe how much that hurts me!"

The atmosphere of their argument started to overwhelm Jeonghwa, and tears stung at her eyes, threatening to fall at any second. "Then maybe you'll know how it feels, having your best friend hate you… You were just like that to me in high school!"

Suddenly Hyojin's anger receded, expression falling. "Jeonghwa…"

"You made me feel like you hated even being around me! Every time I felt like I was getting through to you, like I finally got you to like me, you would always push me down again and make me feel like such a nuisance! You never made me feel like we were friends! And then you left me! You cut me off without another word, leaving me to wonder what I did wrong, what I did for you to hate me so much, for  _seven years!_ So, yeah, maybe I don't like your new idol life, but you  _never_  liked me!" Jeonghwa was openly crying by the time she stopped talking, covering her eyes with her hands and lowering her head, choking out her sobs.

Slowly Hyojin moved closer again, hesitantly reaching out for Jeonghwa's shoulder. "Jeonghwa…" Her hand was shoved off from Jeonghwa's shoulder, and Jeonghwa shifted further away the closer Hyojin got. "I'm sorry… I never wanted to make you feel that way… I didn't know how hurtful I was being back then, but I'm trying so hard to do better now… I'm sorry…"

"You hated me…" Jeonghwa whispered, rubbing at her eyes.

"Jeonghwa…" Hyojin sat down in front of Jeonghwa, "I never hated you, I promise… You were my best friend, Jeonghwa…" When Hyojin reached out again, Jeonghwa didn't shake her away, and Hyojin rested her hand on Jeonghwa's shoulder. "Actually, I… I loved-"

Jeonghwa glanced up at Hyojin before she could finish, grabbing at Hyojin frantically. "Then why did you leave me?! Why did you never speak to me again that summer?! Why didn't you go to my championship game when that was the only thing I ever asked of you?!"

Hyojin swallowed, falling silent and averting her gaze to the bed beneath them. She was starting to realize that she should just keep her mouth shut about the true extent of her feelings; that was twice that she got shut down before she could say anything. It must have been a sign.

"...I was there, Jeonghwa." Hyojin said quietly, refusing to meet Jeonghwa's eye. "I went to that game."

Jeonghwa looked Hyojin over, unable to believe it. "...You're lying. You're just saying that to make me feel better."

Hyojin smiled faintly to herself. "You scored the game winning goal in overtime. You're the reason why our school won that huge championship."

"You could've seen that on the news…" Jeonghwa shook her head.

"You tried to do figure skating spins with the trophy while you all celebrated. You tripped and almost took your whole team down with you when you tried to get off the ice." Hyojin met Jeonghwa's gaze, pleading for her to believe her, "Do you think I could get that off of the local news?"

Jeonghwa looked into Hyojin's eyes, seeing the emotion and the honesty and everything laid bare, and all that did was cause Jeonghwa to cry harder. "Why didn't you tell me…? Why did I never see you again after that…? What did I do to you, Hyojin? Please, let me know what I did to get you to hate me…"

Hyojin's hand went to the side of Jeonghwa's face, wiping away her tears. "You didn't do anything, I promise. I was the one who messed up… I got scared, Jeonghwa… You were my first ever friend, and I didn't know what to do… I got scared by how close we became. I wasn't talking to you as much after I graduated because I was doing my auditions, but then I saw you with your team after the match, with your friends, with those scouts… I didn't think I belonged. I thought you would be better without me, so I ran. I ran from the match. I couldn't bring myself to talk to you. I was so scared… but I never wanted to hurt you, Jeonghwa… That was the last thing I  _ever_  wanted to do… Please, believe me… I'm sorry."

As Hyojin spoke, Jeonghwa kept her head low and expression out of view. She was still loosely grabbing onto Hyojin's blouse, and her shoulders rose and fell with deep, sharp breaths. She soon threw herself into Hyojin's arms, holding onto her tightly. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry you got scared… I'm sorry I said all those things about you… Please don't hate me for what I said… Please don't run away again… I don't want to lose you…"

When Jeonghwa collapsed into her arms, Hyojin simply pulled her into an embrace, running her hand down Jeonghwa's hair to console her. "I could never hate you, Jeonghwa… You mean too much to me. I don't want to lose you again, either. I don't want to blow my second chance…"

Gradually, for as long as Jeonghwa stayed in Hyojin's arms, her crying slowed down, and she stilled. "You mean so much to me too… And I'm sorry for last night. I got scared too, because I thought that if I did something and we regretted it, I would lose you. I was scared and confused about what I was feeling, and I just ran… I got so caught up in the moment that I made so many mistakes until I finally could think clearly and realize how wrong I was acting… I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You're okay." Hyojin whispered, "I'm sorry for putting you in that situation and causing all of this."

Jeonghwa let out a shaky breath and pulled away, wiping at her eyes and sniffling. "You're fine. I wanted it up until it got too close… You didn't do anything wrong. Can I ask something, though? I'm curious…"

Hyojin wiped at her own eyes, having teared up some as they talked. "What is it?"

"Why did you ask me to come back with you?"

Hyojin froze, trying her best to mask her surprise and keep her expression neutral. She wondered if she should tell Jeonghwa the truth, or if the truth would only complicate matters. Forcing herself to shrug, Hyojin just shook her head. "I was the same as you, I guess. I got caught up in the moment. Nothing else."

Jeonghwa just nodded, smiling faintly. "That's good… Well, not good, but… reassuring that I wasn't the only one acting without thinking."

Hyojin had overthought every one of her moves that night, carefully trying to proceed given the signals she received. But she nodded along to Jeonghwa's words, concealing the truth to how she felt. Their conversation was giving Jeonghwa closure and she finally seemed to be okay again. Jeonghwa had a match to worry about, and it was the most important match of her career. If Hyojin had to bite down her own problems to let Jeonghwa play with a clear mind, then she'd do it. She forced herself to promise to tell Jeonghwa once everything was over, however. Even she knew that she was only hurting herself by keeping her silence.

"Are we okay?" Hyojin asked, holding her breath as she waited for the answer.

Jeonghwa nodded. "Yeah, I think we're okay." She smiled, reaching out for Hyojin's hands and taking them between her own, "You have no idea how much better I feel already…"

That brought a bittersweet smile to Hyojin's lips, but she tried not to let the sour side to it show. She ducked her head out of view, focusing her gaze on their hands. "I'm glad to hear it."

Hyojin could stay silent for a little while longer. Just knowing Jeonghwa was okay would be enough for Hyojin to put up with hiding what she really felt until Jeonghwa no longer had something so important to worry about.


	10. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gold medal match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry im late i didnt wanna come

Her phone buzzed while she was in the middle of a competitive match, though with how her teammates were playing, Hyojin didn't care if she got distracted for a few moments. It's not like her team was actually doing anything productive.

She saw Jeonghwa's name flash across her phone screen, and she used the voice assistant to call Jeonghwa. She could talk and multitask but she was in no position to text. Hyojin had decided to screw over her teammates and play sitting upside down on her couch, so she put her phone on speaker and rested it on her stomach as she continued to play.

"Oh, Hyojin-ah…" Jeonghwa sounded confused when she picked up, "I know I said I had a favor to ask, but it wasn't that urgent that you needed to call me."

"I'm playing comp. Can't text." Hyojin's thumbs flicked over the controller loudly and she cursed under her breath.

"Are you playing a video game?" Jeonghwa asked, "Wait, when did you get a console into your hotel?"

"I was getting bored staying here without much to do." Hyojin cursed again. Playing upside down wasn't her best idea, but it was strangely fun to do. "Sadly my own systems are back home, which is pretty far away from Pyeongchang, so I just bought another one to play for now."

Jeonghwa was silent for a moment on the other line, stunned. "Wow… That's… such a foreign concept to me, being able to drop money like that on a whim…"

"Yeah. I was desperate." Hyojin shrugged, "You can have it once I'm done?"

"I… wow. Okay." Jeonghwa let out an uneasy laugh, "It must have been really cheap to you, then."

"The only way I can describe it is that it felt like buying a piece of gum from a gumball machine."

"...Oh my god. Wow."

Before Hyojin could respond, she could hear the distinct 'Heroes never die!' from an enemy resurrection, and she openly cursed upon hearing it. "I just killed that tank, come on!" She growled, "Sorry- you had a favor to ask? What was it?"

"Oh, right. Almost forgot why we called!" Jeonghwa laughed, "So, um… What time were you thinking about coming down to the match?"

Hyojin tilted her head and hummed in thought. "Let's see… I hope to be at the stadium with thirty minutes to spare so I can stop by the food stands… So I'll leave here like forty-five minutes before the match? Yeah, sounds about right. Why?"

Jeonghwa let out a nervous laugh. "Would it be possible for you to come down earlier? So that you're here a little over an hour before it starts?"

"I can… but how come?"

"I want to see you before the match…" Jeonghwa said quietly, "My nerves are acting up and I don't want my team to see me so anxious… I'd feel a lot better if I saw you before going out there."

Hyojin's expression softened and she smiled faintly to herself. "I'll head down early then. I'll let you know when I get to the stadium, alright?"

"Thank you!" Jeonghwa sighed of relief, "I mean it. Thank you so much."

"Don't sweat it, Captain." Hyojin teased, "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yeah! Catch you later!" Jeonghwa said before hanging up, leaving Hyojin to focus back on her game.

Now that Hyojin wasn't trying to keep herself composed around Jeonghwa, she was openly swearing and shouting at her TV with every missed shot or whenever she got hit. At one point, she got fed up with her team and joined voice chat.

"Alright, so obviously I can't get you idiots to stop dying, but can you at least die on the point? Make yourselves useful! Get to the damn objective!"

Not even that changed a thing.

* * *

_Hyojin knew damn well that it wouldn't be easy. She heard the stories of how the trainee process can break people, push them to their limits and crush them. She just thought that she had prepared herself so that she would have the slightest advantage and she would make her life just the tiniest bit easier. She was very, very wrong._

_Every dance practice would push her to the point where every muscle and bone ached, screaming at her to stop, to give herself a rest. She would be worked until sweat drenched her hair, trickling down her face in rivulets, until she felt like she was close to passing out. Every movement of hers was also subjected to the harshest critique. Nothing she ever did was right. Nothing._

_She was almost deathly afraid of the breathing exercises, fearing that any day might just be the day when her lungs give out on her. Still, whatever she did was never enough for the company. Her singing would get torn to shreds, and she would have to spend hours practicing until it felt like she burned a hole in her throat from overuse. The technical aspects to her singing and dancing aside, the company found other ways to tear into her and make her feel like a failure._

_Her company did not sugarcoat their opinions of her appearance. Her features were too dark and intimidating for a typical idol. In the day and age of groups like Girls' Generation, Wonder Girls, and Twice, cute sold and was easy to market. Hyojin was constantly told that she could never go for a cute and innocent concept, nor did she want to. She had her own idea of an image for herself, and she tried to pitch her ideas to her company, specifically through her lyrics._

_Hyojin hoped that her songwriting could be the one and only area where she could get at least some credit from her company. She could vividly recall the conversation she had with the CEO of the company about her lyrics, and it wasn't exactly one she remembered fondly._

_Hyojin took her favorite songs from her notebooks, the works she was the most proud of, and she typed them up. She didn't want to submit her original copies so that her company wouldn't know how much she labored over her lyrics, wouldn't know of the angry, violent marks of her pen whenever she couldn't find the perfect word. She wanted her submissions to be clean, and she wanted to make sure that they wouldn't just shred her work and destroy it forever. She took her lyrics to the management, and within a week, the CEO had called her in to talk with her._

_Hyojin stayed perfectly still, maintaining an emotionless expression when she reached the CEO's office. She didn't say a word beyond a greeting when she met with him, instead allowing him the opportunity to speak._

" _So, about the song submissions that you showed us…" The CEO began, flipping through files on his desk to find the song copies, "Well, there's some that are usable."_

" _Which are…?" Hyojin asked. She hated that she posed the question; a large part of her didn't want to know the answers, to know which few works were the only salvageable tracks, to know which were doomed and had no chance of success. Yet she still asked, curiosity getting the better of her._

" _The aggressive break-up songs. I don't remember their names. They'll need to be redrafted, but they offer_ some  _promising foundation."_

_Hyojin clenched her jaw, though she tried to conceal how hurt she felt. Hearing how her works were close to receiving a full overhaul nearly broke her considering how much effort she poured into every single word she wrote, but she supposed that was the best she was ever going to get._

" _What about the other songs? The ones that don't talk about break-ups?" She asked, again regretting it immediately as soon as it left her mouth. She knew the answer. She didn't know why she asked when hearing it aloud would only kill her._

_The CEO looked at Hyojin as if he couldn't believe she asked that, and he shook his head with a laugh. "Those songs? They'd never sell, especially for someone like you with your image. Think about it- would people want to see someone who looks like you sing about her happiness and love? Stick to the girl crush concepts. That's the only thing that will fit your image."_

_Hyojin felt her nails dig into her palms from how tightly she was balling her fists, though she still kept her expression composed. She nodded in understanding and bowed her head. "Thank you for your input. I'll be sure to keep it in mind for the future."_

_The CEO nodded before gathering the rejected lyrics and holding them out for her. "You may have these back. The rest will be submitted for the editing process. You are free to go."_

" _Thank you." She said tersely, taking the lyrics back as calmly as possible before departing from the room._

_Somehow Hyojin had managed to keep herself together, expression unwavering, head held high until she reached her dorm. The second she closed the door to her room, she leaned her back against the door and slid to the ground, covering her eyes with her hand, no longer able to hold herself back. She choked out miserable sobs, every emotion she suppressed in that meeting bubbling to the surface at once, reducing her to an emotional wreck on the floor of her room._

_Those lyrics were the ones she wrote of Jeonghwa, of them, of what she wished they had. She had to sit back as those lyrics were mocked and ridiculed right to her face, like her feelings meant nothing because of how she looked and carried herself. How she felt for Jeonghwa was practically insulted to her face, and it filled her with such embarrassment and heartbreak. Yet she also felt an anger growing inside her, an anger which manifested when she forced herself to her feet and walked across her room, tearing and ripping apart the pages of her lyrics as many times as she could, throwing the remains into the trash can by her desk._

_Her chest rose and fell heavily from the adrenaline coursing through her after she shredded the lyrics, and she stood there for a few moments, trying to extinguish that anger. Thoughts rushed through her mind, of how her CEO was right, that those lyrics were ridiculous, her feelings were ridiculous, and that she shouldn't feel what she felt. Hyojin finally realized what that anger was directed at._

_Hyojin was angry at herself for being so stupid as to fall for Jeonghwa, for letting herself be so consumed with those emotions. She truly was better as she was before Jeonghwa came into her life, as that person with the tough image instead of a happy one. To think she could ever entertain the thought of love was ridiculous._

_The part of her that did feel that love for Jeonghwa brought Hyojin down one last time, reigniting that sadness and shame from before, causing Hyojin to fall to her knees with her hands over her face, crying once again._

* * *

Hyojin followed the same path that she had before when she traversed the athletes' section of the stadium, and she spotted Jeonghwa standing in one of the hallways, pacing around. Hyojin smiled faintly at the sight; the poor thing was really worrying herself.

"You really are nervous, huh?" Hyojin asked as she walked down the hall, the hint of a grin on her lips.

Jeonghwa spun around at the voice and cracked a weak grin. "Yeah… Very nervous."

"I don't blame you." Hyojin crossed her arms and rested her side against the wall, "But you're getting a medal out of this no matter what, and that's pretty amazing regardless. Do you know how many people would settle for  _bronze_  if it meant just getting a medal? You're guaranteed silver in the worst case scenario here. That's pretty incredible."

Jeonghwa joined Hyojin by the wall, leaning her back against it and wringing her hands together. "Yeah… You're right. But still, it feels bad to lose, even if we still get compensated well…"

"Of course it does. But play without worries, not to avoid losing at all costs." Hyojin tilted her head, "You should be so proud of yourself, Jeonghwa. It's amazing what you've accomplished here. You've been such a good captain to your team, and you've played well."

That got Jeonghwa to smile a lot more genuinely. "Thanks, Hyojin… I was really worried coming here that I wouldn't be a good captain to my team… I'm glad that wasn't the case."

"You've done so well. And you're going to do great out there again today." Hyojin stepped closer, reaching out for Jeonghwa's shoulder, "No matter what happens, everyone will be proud of you and your team. Your country will be proud, Solji, Hyelin, and Heeyeon will be proud, and I will be so, so proud of you, Jeonghwa." She smiled softly.

Jeonghwa turned to better face Hyojin, and she placed her hand over Hyojin's. "Thank you. It really means a lot to hear that."

Then Hyojin walked forward to pull Jeonghwa into a hug, letting out a soft, content sigh as she rested her chin on Jeonghwa's shoulder. "Good luck out there. You're gonna do great, I know it."

Jeonghwa let Hyojin wrap her arms around her, smiling to herself. "I just want to make this whole experience memorable for me and my team…"

"And I'm sure it will be." Hyojin laughed softly. The longer she stayed in Jeonghwa's arms, slowly her mind began wandering, reminiscing of the past, "You know, I remember when you first told me that you wanted to go to the Olympics…"

Jeonghwa laughed, short and playful. "You thought I was delusional."

"I won't lie, that  _was_ the first thing to cross my mind…" Hyojin teased, though she mellowed out shortly after, "But then I remembered that I wanted to be an idol, so I was just as delusional as you were."

"But we actually did it!" Jeonghwa almost jumped out of Hyojin's arms from the excitement running through her, pulling back and resting her hands on her shoulders, "We worked so hard and now we're finally here, doing what we dreamed of since we were kids…"

Hyojin nodded, a fond smile on her lips. "Yeah, we did. And there's still so much let for us to do." She tilted her head playfully, "I think you have a gold medal match to play still, don't ya, Captain?"

Jeonghwa laughed with a wide grin at being called captain, but within a few moments suddenly that smile receded and she seemed much more nervous. "Heh, actually, about that… I wanted to ask you something before I go…"

Hyojin looked Jeonghwa over, noticing how Jeonghwa was picking at her nails nervously, gaze focused on the ground. Furrowing her eyebrows out of concern, Hyojin shifted her weight more onto another leg and waited. "What is it?"

Jeonghwa let out a nervous laugh and kneeled down next to her bag she rested against the wall, fishing something out of it and presenting it to Hyojin, holding it out for her to take yet still refusing to meet Hyojin's eye. "I, uh… I really want you to wear this for the match, Hyojin. I promise I washed it really good and it's clean, but…" Jeonghwa had to cut herself off and laugh to play it off; her nerves were making it so difficult to speak. She forced herself to look up to meet Hyojin's gaze and continue, "It would mean so much to me if you wore this… I think it would give me good luck."

Hyojin watched Jeonghwa as she fetched something out of her bag, and when Jeonghwa held it out, Hyojin just glanced between it and Jeonghwa a few times before she took it, carefully watching Jeonghwa; her nerves were starting to worry Hyojin. Once Jeonghwa stopped speaking, Hyojin then looked down at what Jeonghwa passed her and unfolded it, seeing how it was one of Jeonghwa's Olympic jerseys. Her gaze immediately snapped up to Jeonghwa's, Hyojin's eyes wide from surprise. "You want me to wear your jersey?"

"I-I mean, if you don't want to wear it that's completely fine! Haha! I get it! It was a weird thing to ask! Hah! Nevermind!" Jeonghwa forced one of the most unconvincing smiles to her face as she spoke, reaching out and grabbing the jersey while it was still in Hyojin's hands.

Hyojin let Jeonghwa take the jersey, and once her hands were free she grabbed the bottom hem of her blouse and lifted it over her head. She focused back on Jeonghwa and held her hand out to get the jersey back, but instead she saw Jeonghwa frowning, staring down at the jersey in her hands with a defeated look. "Hey, what's with the sad face? Give it back to me so I can put it on and not freeze down here." Hyojin said, tilting her head. She frowned slightly, saddened to see Jeonghwa second-guess herself so often over asking her to wear the jersey.

Jeonghwa slowly glanced up at Hyojin and was more than surprised to be greeted with the sight of Hyojin in just her bra. Immediately averting her eyes and covering them with a hand, Jeonghwa turned her head away and shoved the jersey towards Hyojin. "S-Sorry!" She stammered, acutely aware of the heat rising to her cheeks.

"Oh, please." Hyojin cracked a sly grin upon seeing Jeonghwa's flustered reaction, "It's nothing you haven't seen before."

"J-Just put the jersey on!" Jeonghwa huffed, blowing out her cheeks in a pout.

Rolling her eyes, Hyojin finally put on the jersey, and she adjusted it once it was on, testing out the fit. It was a little large, seeing as it was meant to go over bulky gear, but it still fit Hyojin nicely. She rather enjoyed the longer sleeves and loose fit.

"Heh." Hyojin laughed to herself under her breath, looking herself over approvingly before looking back at Jeonghwa, grinning, "I like it."

Jeonghwa flashed a small, soft smile. "I know it's not the designer brands you're used to, but I'm really so glad you agreed to wear it. It means a lot."

"Who cares if it isn't designer?" Hyojin scoffed, smirking, "I would take looking like your biggest fan over looking like a million won any day."

"You still look like a million won, even in that oversized jersey." Jeonghwa pointed out, laughing.

Hyojin quirked a brow and glanced away, shaking her head yet with an amused grin on her face. "Heh, thanks, but you're kinda ruining the sentimentality behind my words with that one, Jeonghwa."

Jeonghwa lifted her chin and twisted her lips. "Fine! You look terrible!"

That just caused Hyojin to frown. "Hey…" She complained, "I take it back. I liked it better when you said I looked like a million won."

Jeonghwa just laughed loudly. "Don't worry! I know what you were trying to say. I really appreciate it." She paused, smiling faintly, "I appreciate everything, really.."

Hyojin smiled faintly and lowered her head, gently pinching the fabric of the front of the jersey. "It means a lot to me too, you know, to hear that you wanted me to wear this. I'm honored, really." She lifted her head and let out a content sigh, that bashfulness of before having vanished, "Well, if I'm gonna be wearing this, I might as well not hold back in rooting for you, huh? It looks like Hani is gonna have some tough competition for the most dedicated fangirl of the group."

"Oh, come on…" Jeonghwa giggled, "You don't have to do that…"

"I want to. I can't let the opportunity slide, can I? I mean, I  _am_  wearing a one-of-a-kind jersey here with your name on it…" Hyojin shrugged, a sly grin on her face.

"Hah, you really do know how to get a girl flustered, don't you.." Jeonghwa joked uneasily.

Hyojin tilted her head and hummed. "Mm… Just you, I think." She teased, laughing under her breath. She mellowed out shortly after and stepped forward, taking Jeonghwa's hand in between her two own and holding it between them. "I mean it though. I'm behind you every step of the way with this one, Jeonghwa. Whatever the outcome of this match is, I'm so, so proud of you. You've done so well, Jeonghwa… I'm so proud."

Hearing Hyojin's words made Jeonghwa smile softly, and she placed her other hand around Hyojin's and nodded. "I'm gonna give it everything I've got. It sounds weird, but… I feel like I can do anything, knowing you're supporting me out there."

Those words nearly took Hyojin's breath away, but she composed herself soon enough. She spared Jeonghwa one last smile, reluctant to let go but nevertheless slowly withdrawing her hands. "Don't keep your team waiting for too long. Show those American tryhards just what we're made of, alright?"

Jeonghwa didn't want to let go either, but she made sure to savor the lingering touch before it vanished completely. She smiled and nodded firmly, feeling energized. "I will! They won't know what hit them!"

"Now that's exactly what I like to hear." Hyojin mused, laughing to herself as she spun around to leave.

Jeonghwa knew that she had to get back and that Hyojin needed to get seated for the match, but that didn't stop her from frowning briefly once Hyojin's back was to her. There was still one last thing she had to say. "Thanks, Hyojin. For everything." She said, just loud enough for her to hear as she walked away.

Hyojin merely put up a peace sign as she walked away, not even sparing a glance behind her. It brought a smile to Jeonghwa's lips before she turned around and started walking back to the locker rooms. "As expected of our Hyojin… Always has to keep that cool, effortless image to her…" She shook her head fondly, laughing.

Jeonghwa stepped inside the locker room to see most of her team still getting dressed. She could already tell from the moment she walked in that the nerves were running high from the tense atmosphere. It strangely brought a smile to her lips; she could sympathize with what her team was feeling, but she knew she could bring them up to speed.

She made her way to her locker and set her bag down and started getting dressed. She knew it would be wise to use her better gear for the entirety of the match since she still had injuries to protect and she needed to treat a match this important as seriously as possible. She put on her gear and her jersey on over top of it, and then focused on her skates and gloves, keeping her helmet closeby.

Once Jeonghwa finished getting dressed, she looked around, seeing how the other girls were all mostly dressed too. She figured this was a good time to start her last pep talk that she'd give her team. It was bittersweet, but it had to come to an end at some point, and at least their Olympic run wasn't cut short by a playoff loss. No, they were at their final pre-game pep talk on their own terms, having no other game left to play other than for the gold.

"Heh, you could probably cut the tension in this room with a knife." Jeonghwa teased, leaning back against the locker. Considering how the room was practically silent save for a bit of quiet discussion here and there, Jeonghwa caught the attention of all of her players when she spoke up, "You're nervous, aren't you?"

The responses she received were quiet 'yeah's or other players trying to hide their nerves. Jeonghwa just smiled faintly. "I get that. You guys really don't want to lose, right?"

The players mostly said 'no' to the thought of losing. She was getting more of a response from them now, she noticed. "Good. Neither do I. So of course that's going to put pressure on us. But… Let's not think too much about winning or losing. Let's think about we already did! A Korean team has never even qualified for the Olympic rounds before, and we only qualified because we're the hosts! Yet we still made it to the finals! No matter what happens out there, we still made history and will still make history!"

Finally, the players seemed to have been filled with an energy, and there was a loud chorus of 'yeah's filling the room. Jeonghwa smiled wider, thankful she was getting this reaction at last. "So play without worries! You already have a ton to be proud of! We're getting a medal no matter what! Just throw your heart out onto the ice and let whatever happens come as it may! The Americans already know that they should be scared of us! Give them a reason to be scared! We're making history left and right, and what are they doing?! Nothing! We proved ourselves more than enough out there and we'll do it again! Now let's go, ladies!"

The shouts Jeonghwa received for that were almost deafening as the players filed out of the room. Jeonghwa stayed behind, waiting for everyone else to leave before she made her departure. She only got so far, however, until she heard Jiyoon calling for her.

"Hey, Cap!" Jiyoon shouted. Jeonghwa turned around only to feel a pressure on her head and something blocking her vision for a brief moment until she was able to process what happened.

"You forgot your helmet again." Jiyoon grinned teasingly, "You need to stop making this a habit."

Jeonghwa could only giggle as she adjusted the helmet on her head. "Must have slipped my mind after the pep talk…!"

"It  _was_ a really good pep talk." Jiyoon placed a hand on Jeonghwa's back and patted it, "You know, you really have grown into the role of a leader while here in Pyeongchang. You really kept your cool and helped everyone calm their nerves. No one else could have pulled off a 180 in morale like that. You really are a good captain, Jeonghwa."

"You really think so?" Jeonghwa scratched the back of her neck and smiled sheepishly, "Because I might've plagiarized that speech from someone who said all that to me when I was an absolute wreck in the halls twenty minutes ago…"

Jiyoon only shrugged and laughed. "Doesn't matter! It still worked!" She joked, slinging her arm around Jeonghwa, "Now let's go, Cap. It'll be our last time on this ice. Let's make the most of it."

Jeonghwa smiled softly at Jiyoon's touch and walked alongside her through the tunnels. "Yeah, I know it's gonna be really special…" She felt a warmth through her chest knowing that Hyojin would be watching her, cheering her on with Hani, Solji, and Hyelin with her too. Jeonghwa felt like she could do anything with them behind her…

* * *

Hyojin made her way to the proper seating areas soon enough, but not without stopping at the food stands and getting a soda and a pretzel first. She walked back towards where she would be seated, and she spotted Hyelin by the stairs, waiting for her.

"Took you long enough." Hyelin peeled herself off of the support column she was leaning against, walking towards Hyojin. She got a peek of Hyojin's jersey once up close, and she glanced Hyojin over and just hummed. "Cute jersey." She teased.

Hyojin narrowed her eyes, but her glare was pretty ineffective considering she had her lips cutely pursed around the straw of her drink. "Why aren't you with the others?"

"You haven't heard. You wouldn't have heard." Hyelin spoke, visibly tense and trying to contain herself, "It's terrible down there. I couldn't take another second with them. Please, save me. Or kill me. I beg you."

Then Hyojin actually did glare, lowering her drink and shooting Hyelin a dark look. "The hell's gotten into you?"

Hyelin wrapped her arm around Hyojin and walked with her so they could go down the stairs and find their seats. "You'll see. You'll understand my pain as soon as you see it."

Hyojin only rolled her eyes and let Hyelin lead her to their seats. Once they got to the row, Hyelin stopped and let Hyojin look towards their seats, and Hyojin was immediately greeted by the sight of Hani and Solji laughing together, their hands intertwined and resting on the armrest between them.

"When the hell did that happen?!" Hyojin blurted out at the sight of Hani and Solji acting so lovey-dovey.

Hyelin hid behind Hyojin, clinging to the other woman with an arm around Hyojin's waist and pointing at Hani and Solji. "They've been like this for days! I'm so sick of it! I've been third-wheeling them constantly and they won't stop acting like cute lovebirds! Please, you have to sit between me and them! I need space!"

Hyojin eventually just twisted her lips and lowered her head, overcome with a feeling of jealousy and longing. She really wished she had something like that, being able to be that close to someone she felt so strongly for… But she wasn't afforded that luxury with how things were with Jeonghwa.

Hyelin must've noticed the shift in Hyojin's demeanor, because she wrapped her other arm around Hyojin's waist and leaned to the side so she could glance up at Hyojin to read her expression. "Unnie, what's wrong?"

Drawing in a sharp breath, Hyojin just put one of her hands over Hyelin's, focusing her gaze on the ground since she couldn't bring herself to look at Solji and Hani any longer. Hyelin already knew of some of Hyojin's predicament with Jeonghwa so Hyojin didn't mind being a bit honest. "I'm jealous, obviously. I'm happy for them and all, but… I wish things could work out for me like that."

That response caused Hyelin to frown, and she tried to hug Hyojin a little tighter to make her feel better. She didn't know the full situation and she didn't know a lot about Jeonghwa's side of things, but Hyelin didn't want Hyojin to be that upset about it. "Give it some time. You can make things work out and you'll have love like theirs too."

Hyojin closed her eyes and sighed, slowly guiding Hyelin's hands off of her. "I gave it eight years." She said, voice hallow and quiet, "There's little more I can do."

Seeing as Hyojin had wormed her way out of Hyelin's arms and started to walk away, Hyelin knew she couldn't press the topic more even if it hurt to see Hyojin that way. Hyelin would still do what she could though, so she followed after Hyojin and grabbed her before she could sit next to Solji, and Hyelin practically pushed her down into the furthest seat so she could take the seat next to Solji and Hani for herself. Hyojin initially looked up at Hyelin with a scowl at being manhandled, but when she saw Hyelin glancing over at her upon taking the seat next to Solji, that was when Hyojin realized Hyelin did it for her sake. Hyojin just nodded a thank you, knowing that Hyelin understood.

Hyojin tore some of her pretzel apart to eat, her eyes watching the players warming up on the ice. It was the latter end of their practice, so the match was set to start soon, and Hyojin glanced around in search of the number 82. Before long, number 82 skated up to the glass wall, a huge smile on her face behind her helmet. Jeonghwa placed her one gloved hand on the glass and waved with her free hand, and Hyojin and the others all waved back.

"Jeonghwa!" Solji shouted, a wide smile on her face, "You're gonna win, right?"

"I'm gonna try my best!" Jeonghwa nodded, shouting as well so that they could hear her on the other side. It was then that Jeonghwa saw Hani and Solji's hands together, and she glanced over at Hyojin and Hyelin. "When did that happen?"

Hyojin just sighed and rubbed at her forehead, lowering her head. Hyelin grew bitter. "It feels like forever ago that it did." Hyelin growled, glancing off at the two of them from the corner of her eye.

Jeonghwa didn't catch their bitterness at all, and rather she just focused back on Solji and Hani. "When this is over, we're celebrating everything! Even the stuff I don't know about yet! Got that?!"

"You better fight out there again!" Hani shouted, "The Americans deserve it!"

Jeonghwa could only giggle. "That's not behavior fit for a captain!"

Solji playfully rolled her eyes. "Go, your team needs you. We'll see you once you're an official Olympic medalist." She said with a bright smile.

That made a warmth spread through Jeonghwa's chest, a sense of pride welling inside of her. She glanced over at Hyojin next, a smile on her lips. "Hey, look! We're twinning!"

Hyojin stood up so she could be closer to the glass. She looked down at her jersey and grabbed some of the fabric gently. "We are." Her lips twitched into a grin, though it didn't last.

Jeonghwa just grinned warmly, setting her gloved hand against the glass near Hyojin. "I'm really glad you're here."

Hyojin lifted her head from surprise and met Jeonghwa's gaze, lips parted slightly. She glanced over towards Jeonghwa's hand on the glass, and hesitantly Hyojin reached out before she placed her hand over where Jeonghwa's was. It was a little saddening how she could only feel the coldness of the glass under her fingertips instead of the softness of Jeonghwa's hand, but Hyojin would take it. "Me too…" She said quietly, and she slowly looked towards Jeonghwa, "Good luck out there. You'll do great."

Jeonghwa's gaze followed Hyojin's hand, seeing how their hands rested at the same point on either side of the glass, and it made Jeonghwa's smile widen. "I won one championship with you here. I know I can do it again." Jeonghwa nodded, filled with determination, "I'll win for you."

Those words managed to make Hyojin smile from how her chest felt so warm and weightless to hear them. "I'm rooting for you."

"I'll make you proud." Jeonghwa said firmly, and she glanced at their hands one last time before she had to pull away since she needed to group up with her team for the start of the game, "I'll see you soon! I have a medal to win first!"

Jeonghwa skated off before she could wait for Hyojin's answer, and Hyojin was left with her hand on her glass. Her smile faded and she lowered her hand from the glass, stepping backwards so she could sit back down. "You already have…"

Hyelin reached out for Hyojin's shoulder once she sat down, trying to be supportive. "It'll work out."

Sighing, Hyojin just covered her eyes with a hand and stayed silent, though she eventually reached up to place her hand over Hyelin's. Hyojin fortunately didn't stay too upset for long, and she brushed it off and looked back to the ice, pushing everything else to the back of her mind. Hyelin went to take away her hand, though when she did, Hyojin reached out for it again when Hyelin set her hand on the armrest. Hyelin looked over at Hyojin, confused, but Hyojin just mouthed a 'please,' and Hyelin went along with it, turning her hand over to hold onto Hyojin's.

"I'll hold your hand, fine, but if they put us on the kiss-cam, I'm punching you." Hyelin said blankly, though Hyojin could tell it was a joke. It made Hyojin laugh, but she did kind of want to punch Hyelin for that one too.

On the ice, Jeonghwa skated to fall in line behind Jiyoon, resting her stick on her legs as she waited for play to start. Those few moments of silence and pause before play began were nerve-wracking, and Jeonghwa felt knots form in her chest and stomach. The pressure was on and it was a lot, and she could barely wrap her head around the fact that this was a gold medal match, that this was probably going to be the most important game of her career, that so much was riding on this match right here. It was a lot to take in, and Jeonghwa's chest felt tighter the more she thought about it, but her gaze unconsciously drifted across the rink towards the corner of the ice where Solji, Hani, and Hyelin were sitting, and where Hyojin was. Those knots in her chest loosened when she remembered they were there, that Hyojin was there, and she focused back on the center for the face-off, pushing all worries out of her mind.

Once play started, it became obvious to Jeonghwa that the gold medal match would be no pushover and that the American team came to win. The Americans' start came fast and came hard for the South Koreans, forcing them to step their game up immediately to fend them off. The Americans made shots on goal whenever a shred of opportunity presented itself, and Jeonghwa was immensely grateful that their goalie was skilled enough to block the shots. There were many close calls however, and Jeonghwa felt her nerves skyrocket more than once because of the desperate shots on goal by the American team.

The first period was long and arduous, yet it produced no goals for either team. The South Korean goalie blocked every shot on goal by the Americans, and the few shots the South Korean team made with Jeonghwa and Jiyoon's help proved unsuccessful as well. Jeonghwa returned to the bench once the first period ended and sat down with a sigh. She glanced over at the American team on the other side of the ice and tried to think.

The Americans made things difficult in the first period by hitting with such a hard offensive that the South Korean team could only worry about their defense instead of even thinking of attempting offensive strikes. Their defense was able to match the American offense but they couldn't do anything but defend. Jeonghwa sighed and rested her chin on her fist, trying to think of a way to hit the Americans to get into a more productive rhythm so that hopefully they could score…

Before Jeonghwa could think for too long, someone sat down next to her and asked, "What's up, Captain?"

Jeonghwa immediately didn't recognize the voice as Jiyoon's, so she looked over to see who it was. It was one of their youngest players, a girl brought in from Canada to help complete the Olympic team. She was one of the few players Jeonghwa didn't know from the national team that was on the Olympic one, and Jeonghwa was a bit surprised to see this Daisy talking to her when they really haven't talked much while at the Olympics.

"Oh, hey!" Jeonghwa said, trying not to sound too surprised, "I'm, uh, thinking. My strategy devising could use a bit of work…"

Daisy just nodded along, glancing over at the American team. "We can't get shots in if they hit us this hard again. They might get the edge over our goalie too."

"Yeah, I figured that out too." Jeonghwa slumped her shoulders, "...But that's as far as I got."

Daisy pouted her lips and tilted her head, swaying some as she tried to think. "Could we focus on our offense too? And make it the other way around from the first period?"

Jeonghwa shrugged. "We could… That might work if you, me, and Jiyoon all start off on the ice together." Seeing as Daisy was a left-forward, they could coordinate the offensive players of the team like that.

Daisy nodded and grinned widely. "Yeah! That sounds great!"

"Then I'll run it down with the others!" Jeonghwa grinned back, standing up from the bench, "Thanks for the idea, kid!"

"No problem, Captain!" Daisy said, sounding prideful with herself, though that soon vanished when she realized what Jeonghwa called her, "Wha- hey! I'm not a kid!"

Jeonghwa just giggled to herself as she walked away.

After the first period ended, Solji and Hani both sat back down in their seats after they were standing and cheering for Jeonghwa, and Solji noticed how both Hyelin and Hyojin had stayed seated the whole time.

"You two have been awfully quiet…" Solji mused, though she was a bit concerned.

Hyojin and Hyelin shared a glance, and Hyelin just shrugged and looked at Solji. "The match is nerve-wracking and we're really focused on the match, that's all."

Solji looked Hyelin and Hyojin over, and judging by their expressions and the excuse, she knew that even if it was a lie, she couldn't get the information she wanted out of them, anyways. "Mm, yeah. A whole period without scoring is making me a bit anxious too."

"Yah, LE!" Hani shouted suddenly, leaning forward so she could be seen behind Solji.

Hyojin glanced over at Hani, an eyebrow raised, confused what she could possibly want. Hani responded by putting her arms over her head in a heart and smiling widely, trying to make Hyojin feel better because she was smart enough to notice  _something_  was wrong. "I love you!"

As ridiculous as it was, Hyojin could at least appreciate Hani's efforts to cheer her up. She returned the favor by blowing a kiss Hani's way, and maybe Hyojin relished in the way that Solji swatted Hani's arm out of jealousy because of Hani's blushing reaction.

When the second period was about to start, Hyelin watched as Jeonghwa, Jiyoon, and Daisy all took positions at the center for the face-off, and she glanced over at Hyojin out of the corner of her eye. "They're getting serious…"

"I thought it was typical for Jeonghwa and Jiyoon to be out together." Hyojin commented, her fingers ghosting in front of her lips.

"See that third person? The tiny one?" Hyelin pointed to the player with '24' on the jersey, "That's the prodigy they brought in from Canada. She's young but she's really good. The three of them haven't all been on the ice at the same time yet at the Olympics."

Hyojin nodded, and while she did scout that 24 player, her gaze went back to Jeonghwa and she just clenched her jaw as she watched. "I just hope she does well…"

Hyelin let out a breath and looked back to the ice as well. "Me too."

The second period started shortly after that, and Jiyoon was able to nab the puck in the face-off to pass it to Jeonghwa to proceed into American ice. As soon as Jeonghwa crossed into the Americans' side of the ice, she reeled her stick back for a shot and fired the puck off towards the goal. The goalie was only barely able to catch it, but the suspended play seconds after it began did seem to disrupt the American team's rhythm.

For the period of time that the three of them were on the ice together, Jeonghwa, Jiyoon, and Daisy were able to use the same tactic the Americans tried on them against them, and their offense hit so hard that the American team's worries went to only defending; trying to score was the least of their concerns. Slowly they began to be cycled out to rest up after being on the ice for a while, and especially since Jeonghwa and Jiyoon were flagged by the medical staff before the game because of their semi-finals injuries, they were pulled from the ice first.

The other players kept up the same momentum for the most part, yet they opened more windows of opportunities for the American team to take shots on goal. The game was still tied at zero still, so it was still successful in some way, even if it didn't result in a goal.

Eventually, with a few minutes left to the period and the score still at zero for each team, Jeonghwa, Jiyoon, and Daisy were rotated back onto the ice, and soon the three of them were all on the ice at the same time again. When it came to the first face-off for the three of them together again, Jiyoon lost the puck to the American team and the puck advanced into South Korean ice. The defenders went after the forwards to try and get the puck back, and while they succeeded at preventing the puck from advancing forward, they weren't able to take the puck from the American forwards. However, when the puck was in volley between the American forwards, the left forward's aim was a bit off so the puck flew to the wall. Daisy was the closest, so she darted towards the puck when it was unclaimed, and she wound up checking one of the American players into the glass as she took the puck and passed it to Jiyoon. It was a pretty rough check, but Daisy merely skated off as soon as she passed the puck, making no deal of it.

Jiyoon and Jeonghwa ensured that the puck made it safely into American ice, and once they were there, Jiyoon passed the puck to Jeonghwa so she could try a shot. When Jeonghwa received it, she realized that she couldn't even attempt a shot with the American defenders in her way, so she just forfeited the puck back to Jiyoon. Seeing as Daisy had joined them in American ice, Jiyoon sent her the puck to try for a shot. Daisy moved close to the wall as she skated closer to the goal to shoot, but as she raised her stick, the same American player from before rushed forward and slammed Daisy into the wall, with the most force being against the arms she extended when she tried to shoot.

Daisy let out a loud, unpleasant shriek of pain when she was checked- something that doesn't happen with most checks. It caused Jeonghwa to tear her attention away from the American players blocking her, and she looked over to see Daisy with her stick dropped, leaning against the glass and clutching her one arm, her chest heaving with each breath. Jeonghwa immediately looked to the referees, and fortunately they were smart enough to suspend play with the whistle.

When play was suspended, Jeonghwa skated to Daisy's side and reached for her shoulder, but doing so made Daisy yelp and shrink away from Jeonghwa's touch, wincing and squeezing her eyes shut. "Hey, hey- tell me what's wrong." Jeonghwa said, voice worried yet still insistent.

"It… It hurts…" Daisy's voice was shaky, and when she looked into Jeonghwa's eyes, Jeonghwa could see them shaking with fear, and it made Jeonghwa freeze at the sight. Daisy was still so young, and it showed in how frightened she was and how she was struggling to endure a pain she's never experienced. Jeonghwa glanced down and saw how red start to stain the sleeve of Daisy's jersey, and Jeonghwa's throat closed up. She didn't even want to think about how bad the injury was under the jersey...

"It's okay, it's okay…" Jeonghwa tried to remain calm for Daisy even with how she was internally freaking out. She never had to be the one to deal with a player with an injury this bad, yet she supposed that as a captain, this was what she had to do, so she tried to stay strong, "Can you skate? You need to get off the ice…"

"I… I…" Daisy's breath hitched and she shook her head frantically. Jeonghwa could only frown. The poor thing was probably in shock, judging by how frozen and startled she was, unable to even speak properly. Slowly and gently placing her hand on Daisy's back, Jeonghwa guided her off the wall and tried to lead Daisy back to the bench so she could get off the ice.

"Hey, assholes!"

Jeonghwa looked over to see how Jiyoon was shouting at the refs, and she just gulped, knowing what was about to happen probably wasn't going to be pretty.

"Aren't you gonna throw the scum that pulled that  _definitely illegal_  check on my teammate into the penalty box?" Jiyoon growled, pointing over towards the player in question, "Or am I gonna have to drag her by the hair myself?"

Jeonghwa helped Daisy lean against the wall so she could support herself, and Jeonghwa skated towards the action, lingering in a close enough range to stop any trouble from happening.

"You're gonna try what, now?!" The American player shouted back, and she skated towards Jiyoon, fully intending for a fight. Jiyoon didn't even move or flinch, she just took off her gloves and threw them to the side, lying in wait for the American player.

But as soon as the American player sped up to go after Jiyoon, she was immediately knocked to the ice by Jeonghwa jumping in and taking her down with only one swift punch to the jaw.

Hyelin and Hyojin jumped out of their seats when they saw Jeonghwa throw the punch and instantly knock the other player out, and Hyojin's hand flew out to grab Hyelin's arm.

" _Shit…_ " Hyelin hissed from shock, terrified but also impressed.

"That's…" Hyojin trailed off, barely able to focus. She hated watching Jeonghwa fight, but seeing how it wasn't even a fight at all and how Jeonghwa took that girl out in a single punch gave Hyojin a different reaction, "...nice."

Hyelin shot Hyojin a weird look for that one, fairly certain she could piece together what Hyojin meant by 'nice'. "Oh my  _god…_ " Yet she didn't know if she was directing that at Hyojin or Jeonghwa.

Jeonghwa just stood over the player laying on the ice, her chest heaving from the adrenaline and her fist still clenched, suspended in the air after she threw the punch. Slowly Jeonghwa calmed herself and stood up straight, holding her ground as the American forward started to stir on the ice.

"Don't touch my players." Jeonghwa warned in a low, baleful voice. She could feel a hand wrap around her arm and she tore her arm away and looked at the ref who was dead-set on taking her to the penalty box, "And don't touch  _me_."

Jiyoon skated to Daisy's side to help her off the ice in Jeonghwa's stead, and the two of them just watched in stunned silence as Jeonghwa skated to the penalty box. Daisy was led off the ice so she could get treated for her injury. Jiyoon headed to the face-off spot for when play resumed, and before everyone got into position, she glanced off towards the penalty box, seeing Jeonghwa there.

"Well, this is a little backwards…" Jiyoon commented to herself as she got ready. Normally it was Jiyoon in the box and Jeonghwa still out on the ice. It's never been the other way around.

"I can't believe Jeonghwa did that…" Hyelin let out a deep breath and crossed her arms. It was hard to wrap her head around the whole situation.

"'Behavior not fit for a captain,' my ass!" Hani laughed, recalling the conversation she had with Jeonghwa earlier.

Hyojin narrowed her eyes. "She was protecting her team, not getting into a fist-fight for the hell of it. She did what she had to do."

"Hyojin's right." Solji looked towards Hani.

Hani stopped and looked at Hyojin, surprised to hear such a remark from her. She just shrugged, able to admit the two of them had a point. "Fair enough… Still was amazing to watch though."

Hyojin let out a sigh and glanced back to the ice, no longer wanting to make a big deal out of it. She was glad Jeonghwa wasn't hurt at least, but she hoped that the South Korean team could just score…

* * *

The South Korean and the American teams continued at each other's throats for the remainder of the second period and into the third. Neither team was able to score a single point against one another, and they were too evenly matched for anyone to truly guess who would win. The South Korean team was outperforming any expectation of them, and the American team was unable to channel the performance level of their match against Canada. It was a stalemate, and neither team was able to pull ahead of the other.

In the latter half of the third period, Jeonghwa and Jiyoon sat on the bench, watching their other players on the ice. They pushed the extent of their playtime since they were still injured, so their coach heavily insisted that they spend the remainder of the game on the bench. Jeonghwa couldn't speak for Jiyoon, and while her ribs were starting to bother her and felt inflamed, she hated sitting around and she knew that she could still play. She watched the match play out in front of her, and she kept spotting little slip-ups, little missed opportunities that she could've capitalized off of if she were the one on the ice. She was feeling antsy the more she sat there, and she glanced over at Jiyoon, wondering if she was feeling a similar way.

When Jiyoon looked back at Jeonghwa, Jeonghwa could see the determination in her hardened gaze; Jiyoon was sick of sitting around too. They had already argued enough with their coach that if they tried bringing it up again, they'd get thrown into the locker room for the rest of the game, so they had to wait for an opportunity when the coach had no choice but to throw them in. There was only around five minutes left to the game, and the two of them were wondering if they'd ever find the opportunity to get back on the ice, but one opportunity finally presented itself when one of the American forwards reacted harshly to being tripped up by one of the South Korean players. It caused two American players to jump the girl responsible, and the other South Korean players wouldn't interfere since the two players involved were the two the American team pushed for intimidation.

Jiyoon and Jeonghwa stood up from the bench and their coach spotted them, and reluctantly the coach allowed them to switch out with the other players on the ice. The referees pulled the American players away, but they fought against the refs and eventually broke free. Before they could go after the South Korean player again, Jeonghwa and Jiyoon skated in between them, and the Americans stopped in their tracks, caught off-guard. After glancing Jiyoon and Jeonghwa over for two seconds, the American players let themselves be dragged off by the referees, not wanting to cross Jiyoon or Jeonghwa in a fight. Jiyoon and Jeonghwa shared a victorious look after that, smiling faintly to themselves before falling into line to resume play.

Yet, even after Jiyoon and Jeonghwa returned to the ice, they were unable to edge out a single point over the Americans. They were pulled back off the ice before long, and the third period ended with the score still being tied at zero. From back in the seats, Hyojin crossed her arms and grabbed her jersey sleeve, able to remember an image like this too well.

"This same thing happened at that provincial championship…" Hyojin muttered under her breath, yet it was loud enough for Hyelin to hear.

Hyelin glanced at Hyojin and raised an eyebrow, confused by what she was talking about. "What happened?"

"That game went scoreless and they had to go into overtime. Jeonghwa scored the winning goal." Hyojin drew in a sharp breath, "Here's hoping she can do it again…"

Furrowing her eyebrows, Hyelin looked Hyojin over as a few things pieced together in her mind. "That one championship Jeonghwa won like, seven years ago?" When Hyojin nodded to that, Hyelin opened her mouth from surprise, unable to speak immediately, "How would you know? Jeonghwa said that her best friend didn't go."

"Yes, I did." Hyojin replied darkly, "I just never told her I was there."

The more Hyojin went on, the more Hyelin grew confused. "Why wouldn't you tell her?"

Inhaling a sharp breath, Hyojin visibly tried to restrain herself from snapping, and instead of responding angrily, Hyojin just let out a wry laugh, looking at Hyelin with an odd grin. "Because I'm a coward and I ran away from her because I thought her life would be better without me."

Hyelin pressed her lips together into a thin line and tensed at those words. Something about Hyojin's smile and presence saying that made Hyelin almost want to slap Hyojin for it, yet Hyelin bit her tongue and said nothing. She just looked back to the ice, watching the start of overtime.

Jeonghwa clenched her fists, again reduced to the bench for overtime. She found it ridiculous how she couldn't be out on the ice with her team, and she didn't want to feel arrogant, but as one of the best players on the team, Jeonghwa needed to be out there. Jiyoon was benched too, and considering they didn't even have Daisy to rely on in their stead, Jeonghwa knew they had to be on the ice if they had any hopes of winning. It was so frustrating, but it seemed like their coach was finally of the same opinion as Jeonghwa, because Jeonghwa was allowed on the ice three minutes into the overtime period.

It was a 3-on-3 competition during overtime, and Jeonghwa along with her two other players entered another fruitless stalemate with the American team, with the puck just endlessly volleying between the two teams and no goal being made. The American team pulled their goalie to add another offense player to the ice, testing the South Korean team's defenses, and Jeonghwa's coach tried to pull their goalie too, but Jeonghwa stopped her. Keeping a strong defense against a strong offense was important, and they needed someone to block their net. Finding a common ground with her coach, Jeonghwa was able to replace a player with Jiyoon, which would definitely help against a 4-on-3 offensive.

After the American team pulled their goalie, the puck was almost exclusively on the South Korean side of the ice, with the four offensive players keeping a tight control over the puck. The time was counting down on the clock, with only a minute or so left to the overtime period, and Jeonghwa knew they would be infinitely screwed if the match led to a tiebreaking shootout, so she needed to try and end this now. Jeonghwa knew that pulling a stunt like this would cause the entirety of the American team to jump her, but if she could also divert their attention like that, it might just work in her favor…

When one of the American players went to pass the puck, Jeonghwa raced forward to intercept the puck before the other player could receive it, and that drew many of the American players' eyes on her. She sprinted once the puck was in her control, skating close to the wall. One of the American players near center ice skated to cut her off, and seconds before the American player could touch her, Jeonghwa's gaze flitted out to the rest of the ice since she couldn't make a shot this far away from the enemy net. She saw Jiyoon just barely across the center line, vaguely stunned that Jeonghwa even managed to snatch the puck. Jeonghwa drew in a breath and fired the puck away from her as fast as possible, hoping that her pass could be completed.

Off the ice, Hyojin and Hyelin watched Jeonghwa steal the puck and make a break for it with bated breath, and suddenly Hyojin wrapped her arms around Hyelin, needing her comfort in that incredibly anxious time.

"Hold me." Hyojin said tersely, squeezing Hyelin tight and giving her no other option.

But Hyelin didn't mind, rather she just clung to Hyojin's side as well, unable to tear her eyes away from Jeonghwa running away with the puck.

"Jiyoon!" Jeonghwa shouted at the top of her lungs, praying that Jiyoon could pull through. The American player checked Jeonghwa into the glass wall, desperately and violently so that Jeonghwa would no longer be a threat, and Jeonghwa sunk down to the ice after receiving such a harsh blow. The American player then skated after Jiyoon as quickly as possible.

When she heard her name being called, Jiyoon braced herself and watched the trajectory of the puck, and immediately she chased after it, miraculously managing to catch the puck with her stick. The empty net was in sight with nothing in between Jiyoon and the goal, but an American player was hot on her heels. From sheer desperation to avoid losing, the American player looped her stick around Jiyoon's foot in an illegal move to trip her and prevent her from scoring, bringing Jiyoon down. But Jiyoon anticipated it the second she felt something funny near her skates, so she drew her stick back and shot the puck towards the goal as she fell, praying that her last chance shot would somehow be successful as she fell harshly against the ice. As soon as Jiyoon was able to raise her head, the loud wailing of a siren filled her ears, and her eyes shot wide realizing that she actually scored.

Jeonghwa laid on the ice clutching her ribs after being checked into the wall, and she couldn't bring herself to move from the pain spreading through her body. Yet when she heard the sirens, Jeonghwa slowly uncurled, looking up to see Jiyoon push herself off the ice and raise her stick into the air out of victory. Jeonghwa smiled faintly, using all of her energy to force herself to smile despite the pain. She rested her head back on the ice and let out a relieved sigh, knowing that it was over, that they won, and that she didn't need to worry anymore.

Hyojin and Hyelin jumped up and down together when the scoreboard gave the South Korean team the winning point, and Solji and Hani soon joined them, and they all celebrated together, loud and happy and relieved.

The first thing Jiyoon did after standing up was go to Jeonghwa's side, helping her do the same. She threw her helmet off somewhere along the line, so when she kneeled next to Jeonghwa, Jeonghwa could see the huge grin on her face.

"It worked! Your distraction trick worked!" Jiyoon shouted, ecstatic. She reached out and hooked Jeonghwa's arm around her shoulders, helping Jeonghwa off the ground that way.

"I'm so glad…" Jeonghwa breathed, closing her eyes and leaning into Jiyoon, "I didn't expect it to work…"

"We got the gold medal, and it's all because of you, Cap!" Jiyoon's smile was beyond large, though she soon grew concerned, seeing how Jeonghwa wasn't all smiles back, "Don't tell me you broke something in that sacrifice play, Cap…"

Jeonghwa scrunched her nose and let out a heavy breath to check. "I don't think so… But you try getting hit right where you're bruised… That stuff hurts bad…"

Jiyoon laughed slightly to that. "As long as you're alright, Jeonghwa. It woulda sucked to have you get injured badly just so we could win…"

"We went over this before…" Jeonghwa smiled faintly, "I'm not throwing myself away for a medal."

"We wouldn't want you to, Cap." Jiyoon smiled back.

Jeonghwa's smile grew some, and she glanced at a majority of the players swarming together to celebrate, and it made her remember something. "Drop me off by the bench."

"What?" Jiyoon furrowed her eyebrows, "But, Cap, everyone wants to celebrate with you."

"They will. There's just something I need to take care of first." Jeonghwa managed to smile her typical cheery smile, trying to convince Jiyoon, "Besides, everyone wants to jump on you for scoring the winning goal but they can't or else they'd kill me in the process."

Jiyoon grinned and just nodded, leading Jeonghwa to the player bench. "Whatever you say, Cap."

Jeonghwa stepped off the ice and tried to manage her balance, still feeling pretty weak. She forced herself to walk back towards the locker rooms as quickly as possible, and she opened one of the lockers to take someone's team jacket. She then rushed to the examination room, and she saw Daisy inside, laying on one of the beds, her jersey stripped off and her arm wrapped in white with various other bandages on her. When Jeonghwa opened the door, Daisy turned her head, surprised to see her there.

"Captain?" Daisy asked with a weak voice. At least the shock wore off some… "Did they hurt you too…?"

Jeonghwa just smiled and shook her head. "I'll live. The game is over now, Daisy."

"It is…?" Daisy blinked, "Who won?"

"We did, Daisy." Jeonghwa stepped towards the bed and handed Daisy her jacket, "Throw this on and come join us. You're a gold medalist now, after all."

Daisy blinked again, unable to form the words to respond. Before she knew it, Jeonghwa was helping her out of the medical bed and she placed the jacket over Daisy's shoulders so she wouldn't freeze in only a tank top outside. "You… came to get me, Captain?" Daisy asked once everything caught up to her and they left together, unable to believe it, stunned.

Jeonghwa nodded and smiled. "Of course I did! I'm not going to let you miss this! You need to get your medal!"

Daisy lowered her head and smiled weakly, trying to hide how she sniffled and how her eyes grew watery. "Thank you, Captain…"

Jeonghwa gently rubbed at Daisy's back as they walked back to the ice, and Daisy chose to stay by the bench, unable to skate but still wanting to stay near everyone else. Jeonghwa agreed, and she went back out onto the ice, joining up with the rest of the players and urging them to skate closer to the bench.

Within time, the Olympic committee members brought the podiums out onto the ice, and the medal ceremony began. The winners of the bronze medal match earlier in the day joined the South Korean and American teams on the podium, and the South Korean team was the last to receive their medals. Jeonghwa could never forget the feeling of leaning forward, having the gold medal hung around her neck, and being handed a bouquet of flowers while alongside her teammates. She was on the verge of tears standing on the highest point of the podium, listening as their anthem played, standing alongside her teammates. Yet once that was finished, Jeonghwa was overcome with a huge wave of energy, and she hugged as many players as she could fit her arms around, celebrating with them, savoring every moment of her victory.

Hyojin watched the ceremony, watched Jeonghwa receive her gold medal, with a similar stinging to her eyes. She felt overcome with pride and happiness, with a fondness in her heart warming her to watch Jeonghwa wear that medal after all of her efforts. Hyojin couldn't be prouder of Jeonghwa, and all she could think about was how happy she was for Jeonghwa, and how happy she was that Jeonghwa could experience this moment.

However, when the anthem stopped playing and Jeonghwa celebrated with her team, Hyojin felt an old feeling resurface in the bottom of her stomach, something uncomfortable and something anxious. She saw how happy Jeonghwa was with her team, how Jiyoon made it her mission to ruffle Jeonghwa's hair as much as possible, how Jeonghwa made sure that Daisy still got to enjoy the victory despite being injured during the match, how Jeonghwa was so at home with her team. Jeonghwa looked to be so happy with them, and that proud, fond smile Hyojin wore while watching Jeonghwa receive that medal faded, instead leaving Hyojin with a frown.

Hyojin hated how she felt like such an outsider to Jeonghwa in that moment, and she hated how she felt like Jeonghwa would still do better without her.

* * *

_When Jeonghwa returned to the Olympic training center that summer, she was able to meet up with old friends, but her excitement at that concept was far less than characteristic of her. She wasn't as excited to see them, or rather, there was something overshadowing her excitement, something else that was bothering her._

_It didn't take long for Solji to realize something was up. She had only met Jeonghwa a few times, but she still could tell that something was upsetting her friend. One day during lunch, Solji finally asked what was up with Jeonghwa._

" _You're acting differently than usual, Jeonghwa…" Solji frowned, "What's the matter?"_

" _She's acting different?" Hani asked, turning towards Solji with a confused look._

" _It's not like she's hiding it, Hani." Hyelin rolled her eyes and went back to eating._

_Jeonghwa pursed her lips, casting her gaze to the side. "Sorry… I'm just… kinda down, is all."_

" _What's got you down?" Hani tilted her head, concerned._

" _I think… I think I lost my best friend…" Jeonghwa let out a sigh, lowering her head, "She hasn't answered my messages all summer after she graduated, and I tried to ask her to go to my championship match, but she didn't show up… I don't think I'm ever gonna see her again…"_

" _It's not easy, losing someone you thought you were close to. I'm sorry that she seemed to have left you behind…" Solji reached out for Jeonghwa's hand, "But… if it's of any consolation, you might've lost a friend, but I think the three of us want to make up for it."_

_Jeonghwa slowly looked up and glanced between Solji, Hani, and Hyelin, surprised. "You do…?"_

_Solji nodded, and she looked towards Hani and Hyelin. Hani nodded with a huge grin on her face, and Hyelin smiled and gave Jeonghwa a thumbs-up too. Seeing their happy faces was contagious, and Jeonghwa found herself smiling widely, closing her eyes from just how gleeful her smile was. "Three new friends, huh?! That's like…" She trailed off, trying to do the math in her head, "...a lot more friends than I lost!"_

" _Oh god…" Hyelin watched Jeonghwa do those mental gymnastics to try and figure out that math yet still ended up failing in the end, "She's gonna give Hani a run for her money as the dumbest member of the group…"_

_Hani smacked Hyelin for that one. "Hey, don't be mean to her!"_

" _I was_ trying  _to be mean to_ you _." Hyelin sneered, taking a bite of her sandwich._

" _Oh. Well, that's okay." Hani said at first, but realization dawned on her within seconds, "Wait- hey!"_

_Jeonghwa could only laugh at their bickering. "You guys are funny!"_

_While Solji was annoyed by Hani and Hyelin's antics, she smiled when she saw how much it amused Jeonghwa. "We'll be your friends instead, Jeonghwa. That way you don't have to be alone."_

_Jeonghwa looked over at Solji, and her smile mellowed out as she squeezed Solji's hand appreciatively. It hurt, she had to admit, to have to think about letting a friend go, but the promise of three friends helped to ease that pain._

_However, even though the thought of having Solji, Hani, and Hyelin as her new best friends was comforting, Jeonghwa couldn't ignore the hurt of Hyojin leaving. She trusted Hyojin with so much, and she thought she was finally getting someplace with Hyojin, and she loved Hyojin as her friend more than anything… yet it wasn't enough. Jeonghwa still lost Hyojin in the end, and the worst was that she didn't even understand why. Jeonghwa felt something truly special with Hyojin… and she questioned if she'd ever get to relive their connection together again. She wanted to go back in time and tell Hyojin how important she was to her, and just pray that it would be enough to convince Hyojin to stay… Most of all, she wondered what she did to make Hyojin want to hate her like that, and for that whole summer, not a day passed when Jeonghwa didn't question everything she did, trying to figure out what pushed Hyojin away despite her intentions…_

_So, sure, it was a comfort for Jeonghwa to have Solji and the others, but for reasons beyond just being touched by Solji's offer, Jeonghwa's eyes stung with tears when she accepted, heartbroken to have to accept the fact she would have to move on from Hyojin…_

* * *

After the medal ceremony, Jeonghwa and the rest of her team went back to the locker rooms to change at last, and Hyojin and the others would have to leave the stadium. Or they were supposed to at least, but Solji, Hani, and Hyelin had other plans, and they wanted to meet up with Jeonghwa afterwards. Hyojin followed them through the corridors, letting them guide her towards Jeonghwa, because Hyojin for sure already forgot how to navigate through them. Solji and Hani led, talking amongst themselves and holding hands as they walked, whereas Hyojin took up the rear, walking slowly with her gaze trained on the ground for the most part. Hyelin was right behind Solji and Hani at first, but when she noticed that Hyojin wasn't beside her, Hyelin waited and joined up with Hyojin so she wouldn't be alone.

They still walked in silence, however, and it wasn't until Solji and Hani found Jeonghwa in the halls did Hyelin and Hyojin say a word to each other. Hyelin rounded a corner to follow Solji and Hani to Jeonghwa, able to hear them all clearly despite the distance, yet she noticed that Hyojin wasn't beside her anymore, and Hyelin turned around, seeing how Hyojin wouldn't step out past the corner.

"Don't you want to see Jeonghwa?" Hyelin asked, raising an eyebrow, "I know Solji and Hani are hogging her right now, but you'll get your turn."

Hyojin drew in a sharp inhale, glancing back towards the way they came. "You know, I don't want to get in the way of your celebration. You guys have fun."

Hyelin's eyes narrowed as she watched Hyojin. "You're seriously going to leave like that?"

"Trust me, it isn't my place. You all should enjoy this together." Hyojin turned away without sparing Hyelin another glance, starting to walk off.

Hyelin could only watch Hyojin walk away, and her expression darkened the more she watched. "Tch… You really are a coward." Hyelin sneered, making sure it was loud enough for Hyojin to hear.

That caused Hyojin to stop in her tracks and peer over her shoulder at Hyelin. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Hyelin crossed her arms and slowly tilted her head, "You're running away again like the coward you are. And for what? Because Jeonghwa has other friends? Newsflash, superstar, you're never going to have her for yourself."

Hyojin turned around and took a few steps back towards Hyelin, clenching her fists tightly by her sides. "Stay out of things that don't concern you. You know  _nothing_ about any of this, no matter how much you and Heeyeon try to act otherwise. Don't think I haven't noticed you two watching and analyzing my every move. You don't even know the half of it, so back off."

"I know enough." Hyelin countered, completely unfazed, "And I know enough to know that you're just being ridiculous. Why the hell would you run now, of all times?"

"She'd be better off without me in the picture." Hyojin insisted with a low voice, "If I've noticed anything while here in Pyeongchang, it's that me being back only causes her problems. She's better if I'm out of her life." She turned away again with a growl, "I've already made up my mind."

Hyelin's glare on Hyojin deepened when she turned away, and Hyelin only gritted her teeth and reached out, latching onto Hyojin's forearm with her hand in a tight grip to keep her from leaving. "You know, for the smartest person in our whole group, you're acting so fucking stupid right now that it's putting Hani and Jeonghwa to shame."

Hyojin met Hyelin's gaze, eyes flaring with rage to have Hyelin gripping her arm like that. "Get off me…" She warned, speaking in a low voice.

Instead Hyelin only pulled Hyojin closer, not breaking eye contact with her. "Use your brain for once instead of trying to play the selfless heartbroken hero. Do you really think that Jeonghwa's better off without you? Do you think she's  _happy_ without you?! I was there to see the damage the first time you pulled this stunt, and she was devastated that you ditched her championship game. You'll cause her more problems if you leave than if you stay!"

"She can do a hell of a lot better than me!" Hyojin tried to growl, yet her voice wavered and cracked as she spoke.

"Oh, you're starting to make me believe that." Hyelin said dryly, "But you're the one she still wants. Do you really think you would be wearing that jersey now if she thought she was better off without you?! Do you think you would even be talking to her now if she didn't want to be your friend more than anything?! Jeonghwa just won a gold medal and you're deserting her on one of the greatest days of her life, and just because you're self-conscious? She'd hate you if you aren't here for her now, and the rest of us would make sure you never see her again if you leave."

Hyojin stayed silent the whole time Hyelin spoke, still trying to challenge Hyelin and to meet her firm gaze, yet her resolve was shaking and her strong facade was starting to crack.

Hyelin noticed how Hyojin was gradually becoming more and more unsure, so she let go of Hyojin's arm, keeping their eyes locked. "Jeonghwa wants you here, Hyojin, whether you like it or not. If you're really set on being a better person this time around, you'd be wise to be there for her when she wants you to be. And judging by your jersey…" Hyelin's gaze briefly trailed downwards to look the jersey over, "Jeonghwa wants you there more than she wants any of us, so you're not the outsider here. The rest of us are just the third, fourth, and fifth wheels for you two."

Hyojin looked down at her jersey as well, taking some of the fabric in her hands and letting out a sigh. "Do you honestly think that I fit in with you guys? And that I'm not just a thorn in Jeonghwa's side?" She asked, her voice quiet and uncertain.

Hyelin took a step back and motioned towards where Jeonghwa and the others were standing around the corner. "You want to be part of this group and be a good friend for Jeonghwa? Then prove it."

Drawing in a long breath to gather herself, Hyojin ran a hand through her hair and walked around the corner, only needing to walk a few steps before Jeonghwa spotted her and ran towards her with the biggest smile on her face. Before Hyojin knew it, Jeonghwa leaped into her arms and nearly knocked her over, but Hyojin felt something catch her back that certainly wasn't Jeonghwa's doing. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Hyelin letting go of her and walking past to reach Solji and Hani's side. Hyojin could only smile faintly at Hyelin's help before she fully returned Jeonghwa's hug, resting her chin on Jeonghwa's shoulder and closing her eyes.

"I… I was really scared you weren't going to be here…" Jeonghwa whispered into Hyojin's ear, hesitant and soft.

Hyojin squeezed Jeonghwa tightly, filled with regret for even considering leaving before. "I'm here now. It's okay."

"I'm so happy…" Jeonghwa let out a faint laugh, still in disbelief, "I did it, Hyojin… I won…"

"I knew you had it in you, Jeonghwa." Hyojin didn't dare think of letting Jeonghwa go, "I'm so proud of you…"

"I just wanted to make you proud. That's all I wanted to accomplish out there." Jeonghwa said softly.

Hyojin's eyes shot open at how her breath was taken away to hear those words. She could feel herself just melt into Jeonghwa's arms, and every worry and concern that she had about being a nuisance in Jeonghwa's life drifted away. "You already have, Jeonghwa… I've been proud of you from the start…"

"Thank you…" Jeonghwa pulled back so she could meet Hyojin's gaze, though she kept her arms wrapped around Hyojin. There was a grateful smile on her face, and her face was slightly red and tears stung at her eyes. She was on the verge of crying again, and it made Hyojin feel an instinctive lump in her throat to see her crying.

Yet Hyojin still smiled since she knew Jeonghwa wasn't crying of sadness, and she reached out to wipe away Jeonghwa's tears with her thumb, though her hand remained on Jeonghwa's cheek once she was done. In that moment, it felt like they were the only ones in the room, with nothing else around them mattering at all. Jeonghwa felt a pull towards Hyojin, a pull born from her excitement and euphoria and gratefulness and all of her emotions swirling together, and she almost acted upon it until she remembered how they weren't alone. Then Jeonghwa figured it was best that she waited for a better moment, one that they didn't have to share with the rest of the world.

"What took you guys so long?" Jeonghwa asked, and she gradually pulled away from Hyojin to hug Hyelin, since she was mostly ignored since she joined up with everyone.

Hyelin made brief eye contact with Hyojin, catching how Hyojin's body tensed with unease. When Jeonghwa pulled away from her, Hyelin just shrugged nonchalantly, entirely unfazed. "Someone recognized LE on the walk over and asked for photos. We couldn't just tell them to buzz off."

Jeonghwa laughed at that and Hyojin could only flash a grateful smile towards Hyelin. She really did know how to lie in a pinch…

"Do you think I could get stopped for photos and an autograph too?" Jeonghwa teased, batting Hyojin in the arm.

Hyojin smiled faintly and shrugged. "I hope you do. I know I want to ask for one."

Jeonghwa giggled sheepishly at that and she hit Hyojin again, unable to contain her nervousness. "Heehee… Stop that!"

"I didn't expect gold to match your hair so well, Jeonghwa." Hani said suddenly, a playful smile on her lips as she crossed her arms, "I thought silver would've been a better color for you."

"I'm kinda surprised too if we're being honest. Like yeah, silver is my color when my hair is this dark, but-" Jeonghwa cut herself off, finally realizing that Hani was making a joke about Jeonghwa deserving second place, "...Heeeeey, watch it!"

Hani could only let out a loud laugh, far too amused with herself to stop. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! You look good with the gold medal!" Though she still tilted her head teasingly, her tongue swiping across her lips, "But I know I'll pull off a gold medal better than you can."

"That's right." Solji jumped in, wrapping her arm around Hani, "We're going to show you who looks best in gold once we win ours."

Hyelin snickered to herself as her eyes twinkled devilishly. "You won't be the only one that high on the podium, trust me. We'll be there too, and we'll show you how gold is  _our_  color."

"Oh, please…" Hyojin said in a bored drawl, walking closer and slinging her arm over Jeonghwa's shoulder, "I could buy a whole outfit made of gold just to set the record straight who looks the best in gold. It's me." Her lips curved slowly into a smirk, looking between the three others.

"Okay, we get it, you're rich." Hyelin growled and rolled her eyes.

Even though Hyojin wanted to find some way to counter Hyelin for that, she just closed her eyes and laughed, unable to hold herself back. The others joined in too, and as they all laughed, Hyojin could feel Jeonghwa wrap her arm around Hyojin's waist and lean into her side, and a warmth filled Hyojin's chest. She gradually stopped laughing, but she watched as the others still laughed, how Hani and Solji were mostly laughing at each other for how loudly they were laughing, how Hyelin was snickering to herself with her eyes closed, and of course, how Jeonghwa was laughing like she always did, loudly and obnoxiously yet with so much energy and so contagious. Hyojin just smiled as she looked between everyone, and she let out a content sigh, holding Jeonghwa closer.

Maybe she did belong.


	11. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyojin and Jeonghwa get to spend time together once the finals are over with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you noticed that the chapter count changed, good on you, bc im pissed this fic wont fucking END

"I can't believe you! I can't believe this at all!"

"Hyojin, relax, please! There's no reason to get so upset!"

"Oh, I'm upset. Nothing's gonna change that. But mostly I'm just… in disbelief! What the hell was that?!"

Jeonghwa threw her arms out to the sides, unsure of what to say. "I don't know! I just winged it! Beginner's luck, maybe?!"

"Beginner's luck, my ass! You beat me in seven goddamn games! How the hell did you manage to pull that off?! I… I've never lost before!"

Hyojin, who had been pacing around after shooting to her feet in frustration after losing the last round of Super Smash Bros., finally threw herself back onto the couch with a groan, covering her face with her hands. She had invited Jeonghwa over to her hotel to hang out since Jeonghwa had no more matches to worry about, and along the line they decided to play that fighting game.

Jeonghwa only frowned and moved closer, wrapping one of her arms around Hyojin, and she was surprised that she wasn't shaken off considering how upset Hyojin was. "Aww… Hyojin, it's okay… I know you're amazing! I really do! You're really tough competition!"

"How would you know?! You never played the blasted game before! You wouldn't know competition if it hit you upside the head!" Hyojin let out a heavy, loud sigh to try and compose herself, "Sorry… I'm just… how is this possible…? You're playing as fucking Kirby…"

"He's cute!" Jeonghwa beamed, looking at the screen to see Kirby giving a victory pose, "Look at him, Hyojin! He's waving his stubby little arms over his head!"

Hyojin pouted her lips in a frown and turned her head towards Jeonghwa, resting her hands on either side of her face. "You're too precious… But I can't believe you, you monster. I'm crushed."

Jeonghwa frowned again, scrunching her nose in Hyojin's hold. "Do you wanna play again? You don't have to hold back this time just because I'm a beginner. I know you have been for my sake. It's sweet, but you don't have to anymore!"

Hyojin damn near whimpered. She stopped holding back halfway into the first match they played. But she'd still try again. Maybe part of her was still unknowingly holding back. She picked up her controller again and sighed, starting a new game. If she was truly going to go hard, then she would pick her ace character… Ike.

Jeonghwa giggled as she picked Kirby and saw him do tricks on the character select screen. "He's so adorable! I love him!"

"I'm gonna kill him." Hyojin said, eyes glazed over in concentration as the round started up again.

"Hyojin, no!" Jeonghwa gasped, "That's so cruel!"

"No holds barred, Jeonghwa! I need to win!" Hyojin gritted her teeth, thumbs loudly smashing the buttons and flicking over the circle pads.

Jeonghwa pouted her lips to hear Hyojin be so heartless, but that frown vanished as she made Kirby jump and inflate, floating and bouncing across the screen. She giggled again, watching how Kirby bounced up and down every time she pressed the jump button. "He's sooooo cute!"

As Jeonghwa was making Kirby jump all over the screen, Hyojin kept chasing Kirby to no avail, missing every time she swung Ike's sword. "Come on…" It was so unfair. Jeonghwa wasn't even trying to evade. She was just fucking jumping.

"Wait." Jeonghwa glanced down at the controller, looking it over, "How do I attack again?"

Hyojin paused for a second. This was her chance. She had Ike walk towards Kirby and she pressed a button to put Ike in a counter stance, setting Jeonghwa up for failure. "Press B."

"B…" Jeonghwa repeated, and she pressed a button that caused Kirby to inhale Ike, "Oh, like that?"

"Wrong button!" Hyojin shouted, mashing the directional pad to try and break free, "Let me out!"

Jeonghwa tilted her head and pressed the down-button, causing Kirby to copy Ike's ability. "Like that?"

"God, why is this happening to me…" Hyojin muttered. She entered a counter stance again, and Jeonghwa finally fell into the trap and attacked Ike, and Ike took no damage and instead knocked Kirby off the platform.

"Finally!" Hyojin let out a sigh of relief.

But Jeonghwa wasn't done yet. Even when Kirby was off-screen, Jeonghwa still bounced back, having Kirby float and jump everywhere. "Oof, that was close!"

Hyojin's expression fell into a deadpan. This couldn't be happening. "I'm ending this." She growled, having Ike run to the edge of the stage and jump after Kirby, and she had Ike use a move that caused him to throw his sword into the air, catch it, and then rocket downwards to pin an enemy under him on the ground. She intended to take Jeonghwa out with her and tie, but as soon as Hyojin hit that button, Jeonghwa had Kirby jump out of position, causing Ike to fall to his death and ending the game immediately.

"I won again!" Jeonghwa shouted excitedly, a wide smile on her face. She giggled to see Kirby's victory pose on the screen again, but Hyojin wasn't as thrilled. Hyojin just threw her controller into the couch and stood up, enraged.

"I trusted you!" Hyojin shouted. Tears stung at her eyes and she felt like she could lose control of herself any second. It was growing too hard to stay composed.

"Hey!" Jeonghwa still just smiled brightly, and she pointed at the screen to get Hyojin to look, "Look at how cute Kirby is! You can't be mad when Kirby is just so gosh darn cute, right?"

Hyojin looked over at the screen and saw Kirby trying to clap his stubby little hands, and it made her calm down almost immediately. The added bonus of seeing Jeonghwa so happy made it even harder for Hyojin to stay upset, so she sat down next to Jeonghwa and crossed her arms, closing her eyes and sighing. "...He's adorable."

"Yeah!" Jeonghwa laughed cheerily, "This game is fun! You're having fun too, right?"

"I'm having the time of my life." Hyojin said with a flat voice.

Jeonghwa didn't seem to pick up on her tone. "Heehee, me too!" She wrapped her arms around Hyojin in a side hug, resting her head against Hyojin's shoulder and closing her eyes. "Thanks for letting me win so many times, Hyojin. You're too nice!"

"Yeah… I was totally letting you win…" Hyojin coughed, trying to play that off like it was true. And if Jeonghwa believed it… well, for Hyojin's ego's sake, Hyojin wouldn't say otherwise. She couldn't be so down when Jeonghwa was hugging her though, so Hyojin just placed a hand on one of Jeonghwa's arms around her and smiled slightly. "You're a good Kirby."

"You're a great everything!" Jeonghwa beamed as she pulled away, "You're so good at these games. It's amazing! I could never play this seriously and do well up against someone who wasn't holding back…"

Hyojin laughed under her breath and shook her head, glancing at Jeonghwa out of the corner of her eye. "You'd be surprised how good you are."

Jeonghwa laughed bashfully, swaying where she sat on the couch next to Hyojin. "Aww… Stop it…" She shook her head to snap herself out of it, and she turned back to the TV, "Are you done playing for now? I'm kinda tired…"

"Yeah, I'm out of energy for this…" Hyojin turned her TV off with a remote, leaning back into the couch with a sigh, "I can't really play video games as long as I used to when I was younger… It's tiresome."

"Woah…" Jeonghwa blinked from surprise, "I remember that one time you played a game for over 30 hours in one sitting… You can't do that anymore?!"

"God, no. I'm too old…" Hyojin shook her head and sighed.

"Dang…" Jeonghwa trailed off, turning her head towards Hyojin, "What changed?"

Hyojin shrugged, trying to think of the answer. "I don't know… I think it was when I was a trainee. I didn't have a lot of free time and energy for anything, and honestly if I wasn't practicing, I was off, er…" She averted her gaze, unsure if she should say anything more, "...doing stuff."

Jeonghwa tilted her head, glancing Hyojin over and mulling something over in her mind. "You know… You never told me much of your time as a trainee." She said softly, hesitant in her words.

"There's kind of a reason for that." Hyojin smiled weakly, far from genuine, "It's not exactly a time I look back on fondly, aside from meeting my friend…"

"Could you tell me about him?" Jeonghwa asked, voice hopeful. She still was very hesitant in asking, and it showed in how she lowered her gaze and prodded her fingertips together as she spoke, "I don't need you to relive your time as a trainee if it was that bad, but if your friend made you happy, I wanna know about him…"

Hyojin fully turned towards Jeonghwa on the couch, and she reached out for Jeonghwa's hands, bringing them into her lap. "I'll tell you all about him." She said, a soft smile on her face all the while.

Jeonghwa looked up to meet Hyojin's gaze, her lips parted slightly from surprise. "Really?"

Hyojin nodded. "Do you wanna know how we met?"

Lips curving into a smile, Jeonghwa nodded eagerly, and unknowingly she squeezed Hyojin's hands in hers. "I do."

"It's not much of a story," Hyojin laughed softly, "but I'll tell you all about it."

* * *

_It seemed like she had been stuck in an endless cycle for years._

_They wouldn't tell her what they had planned for her. They kept telling her to wait, that she will debut soon enough, that they will find her a group, or that she'll train to become good enough to join a group already in the works. It seemed like she was stuck in this waiting game forever. She was getting nowhere._

_One day, Hyojin's schedule was made so that she had dance practice with the male trainees. It was weird to be isolated like that, and the only reasoning she was given was that there grew to be too many female trainees practicing, and they only really practice cute, innocent concepts, so it saved space to have Hyojin transferred for a little while. Hyojin just felt like she was put on the shelf, like she would always be outcasted and ostracized in the company for not being cute or innocent enough. She'd probably never debut at this rate after being pushed off to the side for almost two years…_

_While she was in the practice room, she got to sit and relax and watch some of the other boys practice. She sat with her back against the wall, and she had her notebook resting on her lap to revise some lyrics she wrote previously. Hyojin was putting all of her faith into her lyrics, hoping that they'd be the one thing that could save her, that could put her ahead when she seemed so behind. She seemed to attract the attention of a male trainee who sat next to her after he was given a break too, and he watched her for a little while. She could tell that he wasn't trying to pry into what she was writing, but Hyojin knew he was curious, yet still kept himself restrained to not stick his nose where it didn't belong._

" _You're a lyricist?" He asked all of a sudden, interest in his voice._

_Hyojin slowly moved her gaze towards him, expression otherwise neutral. She looked him over once or twice. Black, shaggy hair… Features that weren't entirely off-putting… He seemed a lot more tolerable than the other men in this practice room, that's for sure. Yet Hyojin didn't say anything right away, she only examined him, and that caused him to speak up again._

" _No judgments here." He said to relax the atmosphere, placing a hand over his chest, "I write lyrics too."_

_Hyojin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You do?" Yet she was sure to not let that intrigue bleed into her tone of voice._

_He nodded and smiled some. It wasn't a bad smile… It actually seemed genuine unlike the chauvinist smirks of the other trainees. "It's the only way for me to relax after getting put through the wringer at practice. It clears my head."_

_Lowering her gaze down to her notebook, Hyojin smiled faintly in agreement. "Me too." She schooled her expression soon enough and turned back to the trainee, clearing her throat, "What did you audition for?"_

" _I auditioned to be a rapper." He said with a nod._

" _So did I." Hyojin drew in a breath and averted her eyes for a moment. They were being friendly, and she tried to remember how she was supposed to make friends, though her past experience didn't help her much… She figured she'd just wing it. "...I'm Hyojin."_

_He smiled at the attempt at making friends, appreciating the effort. "Yongguk." He fell silent for a moment after that, glancing Hyojin over, mulling something over in his mind. "How long have you been performing for?"_

_Hyojin's eyes went wide. Was she supposed to have been performing? "Uh… Never officially…"_

_Yongguk laughed slightly and nodded, closing his eyes. "I assume you're self-taught. Nothing wrong with that. I only started performing recently myself. You just gave off the vibe that you did. Your image is strong enough that I'd believe it."_

_His words came as a relief and Hyojin let out a breath, relaxing around him. She closed her book and held it to her chest, shifting how she sat so she'd face Yongguk better. "What exactly do you mean by 'performing'?"_

_Yongguk didn't reply immediately. Rather, he just looked Hyojin over again, lost in his thoughts before he flashed a smile. "How about I show you? If you really are serious about the rap game, that is."_

_Hyojin lowered her gaze to the floor, thinking it over. It was a strange and sudden request, but maybe learning how to perform would be a huge help to her, and she has no reason not to trust Yongguk… She felt safe with him. "I am serious…" She said under her breath, meeting Yongguk's gaze, "What do you have in mind?"_

" _Do you trust me?" Yongguk asked, and his smile was still there._

_It was a question out of the blue, but Hyojin still felt sure of her answer, even if she wouldn't admit it. "Perhaps..."_

" _Then meet me tonight after curfew, and I can show you a performance circle. Be prepared though, you might be put on the spot to perform too."_

_Hyojin frowned slightly and crossed her arms, sending Yongguk a weird look. "Are you going to continue to be a cryptic asshole or are you gonna tell me what the hell I'm getting myself into?"_

_Yongguk laughed quietly at Hyojin's bite. "I'm gonna take you underground, Hyojin. It's where the best of the best are, right under our noses."_

_Hyojin drew in a breath and bit the inside of her cheek to hear 'underground.' She heard a bit of underground performance rings and she listened to a few self-produced rappers off of the internet, but it felt strange to become a part of that sphere. "Underground, huh… and at midnight no less." She noted in a low voice._

" _It's not that bad, and I'll make sure you're alright. I don't want getting someone hurt to be on my conscience, after all." He tilted his head, "But you're going to have to do something before we can go."_

" _Which is…?" Hyojin raised an eyebrow dryly._

" _Hyojin's a pretty name, but it's not exactly underground material…" Yongguk teased, "Besides, it's best not to go by your real name, because you're right, it is a little dangerous. I go by Jepp when I'm down there. You're gonna need your own name."_

_Hyojin didn't know how to feel about Yongguk calling her name pretty, but she pushed it out of her mind soon enough. She had to think of a name, but she didn't need to think for long. "Elly." She said almost instantly._

" _Elly?" Yongguk repeated, and he grinned as he tried the name out on his tongue, "Yeah, Elly baby, I like that."_

" _Never call me that again." Hyojin said dryly, though she had a hint of a grin on her face all the while._

" _My bad, my bad." He just shrugged, still smiling to himself, "After practice and after curfew I'll meet you at the street corner outside the dorms. How's that sound?"_

" _Sounds sketchy as hell." Yet Hyojin still grinned playfully, "I'm in."_

_Yongguk grinned too, and the instructor called the resting group back to the floor to continue practice. He stood up, watching Hyojin do the same. "I'll see you then, Elly."_

" _Likewise, Jepp." She said with a playful lilt, running a hand through her hair once she stood up._

_Practice was a bit easier knowing that she had someplace to be later on._

* * *

"Woah…" Jeonghwa leaned back some, though she still made a point not to let go of Hyojin's hands. "I can't believe you told him you wrote lyrics quicker than you told me." She said jokingly, laughing under her breath.

Hyojin laughed too, glancing down at their hands. "Well, he did ask me directly…" She exhaled a breath, slowly looking back at Jeonghwa, "And I was a nicer person after meeting you so I wasn't as defensive."

Jeonghwa had to glance away, trying to hide her sheepish grin. "Oh, stop… You were nice deep down. I just helped bring that side of you out."

"Thank you. I never said it before, but… thank you. You did so much for me, and I became a better person because of it… I always fought it when you tried to bring out that nice side to me, but I'm really glad that you did. I'm sorry that I never told you that…" Hyojin trailed off, expression falling and letting out a sigh.

"You did thank me, though." Jeonghwa said, blinking and tilting her head.

"I did?" Hyojin looked back up at Jeonghwa, confused.

Jeonghwa tried to smile, but she couldn't force one to her face for long. "You thanked me at your graduation. It was one of the last things you ever said to me…"

The memories started to come back to Hyojin now, and it only saddened her more to be reminded of her mistakes. "I'm sorry, Jeonghwa."

"I can't be mad about it anymore since you're back in my life now. You don't need to apologize anymore. I promise it's okay." Jeonghwa's attempt at a smile was a bit more successful, but she still lowered her head, "There was just… so much I still wanted to tell you, so much I wanted you there for, so much I  _needed_  you there for… It's just unfortunate things worked out how they did."

"Truly unfortunate…" Hyojin said softly, letting out a deep breath. She squeezed Jeonghwa's hand, trying to cheer the mood back up a bit. "But… if you want, you can tell me all those things now that you couldn't before."

Jeonghwa looked up to meet Hyojin's gaze. "There was something… something I wanted to tell you so badly that I ignored every part of my head telling me not to do it… I called you for the first time in years to try and tell you."

Hyojin let out another sigh, knowing how the story would end. "My number was disconnected when you tried, I assume… As trainees, we had to disconnect our phones."

Jeonghwa nodded. "Yeah… I was really so excited to tell you. I wanted to tell you so badly I didn't care if things went wrong between us years before. I just… wanted you to be proud of me."

"What was it?" Hyojin asked softly.

Jeonghwa just smiled some and laughed. "It's a bit of a story… I hope you don't mind if it's my turn to share."

Hyojin smiled too, tilting her head. "I'm all ears."

* * *

_When the news spread that South Korea won the bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, it came to a shock to the athletic community. Typically hosting countries qualified automatically for the tournaments within the Olympics, so when countries that didn't have to worry about filling teams or positions in the Olympics become host countries, they have to gather players to fill the positions they suddenly qualify for. South Korea suddenly had to worry about preparing teams for the Olympics, and considering South Korea wasn't a competitive country in many Olympic sports, they had to fill out many, many events._

_One of the biggest concerns came with the Olympic hockey teams. South Korea needed to search for as many eligible players as possible, and while South Korea did have a national team, not all of them were Olympic ready. Seeing as the Olympics in Pyeongchang were approaching with the years, the South Korean committee needed to scout young, rising players for their sport teams._

_Olympic Centers cracked down on the practicing athletes, suddenly focused on training them to their maximum potential, determined to breed the next gold medalists. National teams for other international sporting events cracked down on their athletes as well, training them harder, widening their ambitions, creating the next generation of Olympic aspirants._

_Solji, Hani, Hyelin, and Jeonghwa all experienced this crackdown while they trained at the Olympic Centers. Their coaches pushed them harder, their trainers had them practice longer, and everything became much more serious than they had been before. After Jeonghwa graduated, it felt like she spent all of her time training, practicing, preparing herself to be the best she could be. She figured that all of the stress and work would be worth it, because she doubted that she would be put through the wringer this much if she had no shot at the Olympics, so her trainers and coaches must see promise in her._

_Jeonghwa became one of the youngest players in history to make the national women's hockey team, a result of her trainers pushing her to her limits and to the extreme to reap the best results from her. Her trainers fought for it and fought for her, and Jeonghwa made her national debut at just twenty years old…_

* * *

"Joining the national team at just twenty years old, huh?" Hyojin recited, grinning to herself, "If I was just half as proud of you back then as I am now, I would've been ecstatic for you if I heard the news."

Jeonghwa laughed sheepishly. "I really, really wanted to tell you… I couldn't believe it. I worked so, so hard for it and I was one giant step forward to accomplishing my dreams…"

"I wish my phone wasn't disconnected. I would've loved to hear it." Hyojin's grin faded at the thought of missing the news.

"I wish your phone wasn't disconnected, too. I… really needed you at that point in my life. It all seems so great now, but there was a lot of pressure, and I kind of botched my debut in the Asian Games…" Jeonghwa pressed her lips together into a thin line.

Hyojin grew concerned to see Jeonghwa so upset. "What happened?"

Jeonghwa forced herself to laugh to try and diffuse the situation, but it didn't work, and the laugh came out weak and worrisome. "My whole career almost ended the day it began…"

Seeing how Jeonghwa was fairly upset, Hyojin squeezed her hand, urging her to be careful. "You don't have to tell me."

"No, it's fine… I'm… honestly surprised Solji never told you." Jeonghwa said in a whisper.

"Never told me what?" Hyojin tilted her head.

Jeonghwa took her other hand and clasped it around Hyojin's, holding her hand in both of hers. "Alright, then you need to know…"

* * *

_As glorious as it was to be the prodigy of the South Korean women's national hockey team, the glory didn't last, and Jeonghwa had to bear the hardships that came being on a team that prestigious._

_The practices were more intense and longer than any that she had experienced before. Jeonghwa's physical condition as a result from being pushed to such extremes on the daily had become worrisome for Solji, Hani, and Hyelin to see. She would have to cancel plans all the time because she couldn't spare the energy to join them. She was missing calls and ignoring texts because of the extended practices and her own exhaustion. Jeonghwa was achieving her dreams, but at a huge cost._

_All of the practices and training exercises came before the Asian Games, where South Korea hoped to astound the other countries by their improvement across all sports. Jeonghwa was to make her official debut with the national hockey team during the Asian Games' tournament. Her coaches and trainers put large amounts of pressure on her to do well, and Jeonghwa willingly pushed herself to such extremes in order to meet the expectations placed upon her. She didn't want to live with the burden of letting everyone down when so many hopes were on her._

_Because she was the youngest and most able player, Jeonghwa was pushed in the first period of the first game of the tournament the most. Her rotations off the ice were shorter than everyone else's, and she had the most shifts of everyone else on the team. Her exhaustion was catching up to her the more she played, and it was starting to show by the second period._

_It didn't help that by being paraded around by the South Korean team as the young prodigy had caught the other countries' attention and interest, because the players tested Jeonghwa on the ice, wanting to see the best of the young prodigy in action. Jeonghwa had a damn target on her back every time she got rotated back onto the ice, and she was constantly hassled by the older, more experienced players. They'd play a little harder with her, slam her into the wall a little rougher, anything to give her a hard time. Jeonghwa hated it. Having to put up with the constant harassment only made her more exhausted faster, and she was so worn out after only playing the first period._

_The worst came halfway through the second period. The players had learned how easy it was to torment Jeonghwa on the ice, and they were even more obvious in their games, doing anything to give Jeonghwa hell. By this point, Jeonghwa was just trying to avoid getting boarded, and the match itself for her was less so trying to score but more so trying to survive the torment. But, of course, as the shining player, Jeonghwa was still obligated to play, so there came a point where she was yelled at by her coach to be more aggressive when on the defensive to regain the puck._

_At one point, when the puck was near the South Korean net, Jeonghwa grew bold like her coach demanded, desperately inserting herself into the action to try and snatch the puck for herself. In doing so, Jeonghwa accidentally caught her stick on an opposing player's skate, tripping her up some as she skated._

_The player reacted angrily having her skate hooked by Jeonghwa's stick, and she came after Jeonghwa, seeking a fight. Jeonghwa got punched right in the side of her head, and she stumbled across the ice, somehow keeping her footing yet separating herself from the other player. The player still sought Jeonghwa out for a fight, and Jeonghwa cowered behind her arms hoisted over her head to protect herself again. However, that player decided to go for a part of Jeonghwa's body still exposed, and she punched Jeonghwa right in the gut, knocking the wind out of Jeonghwa entirely and causing her to collapse on the ice._

_Jeonghwa clutched her left side as she laid on the ice, and she found it surprisingly difficult to breathe. Every inhale and exhale came at a great pain and difficulty to her, and she grew lightheaded since she was panicking and hyperventilating yet still receiving no air. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was coughing and seeing a splash of red before her vision went dark._

_When Jeonghwa awoke, it was in a hospital, and Solji, Hani, and Hyelin were all by her bedside, telling her so many things that Jeonghwa found it hard to keep track of. Hani said that the fight fractured her ribs and her broken ribs pierced her lung, Hyelin said she had to have surgery to fix the damage, and Solji said that Jeonghwa's parents and brother were on their way. At the time, Jeonghwa processed very little of what was told to her, and she only remembered the feeling of having Solji, Hani, and Hyelin all holding onto her hand with the image of that one player chasing after her, fist reeled back, looking for a fight replaying in her mind…_

* * *

When Jeonghwa finished retelling the story, she reluctantly let go of Hyojin's hand, moving to grab the hem of her shirt and to lift it up, revealing an old surgical scar over her left ribs. "It's a miracle I could still play after that…"

"Jeonghwa…" Hyojin's eyes widened to see the scar, and before she could stop herself, she reached out to trace her fingertips over the line of the scar, "Forget being able to play… Your health and life was on the line with an injury as bad as that."

"I know." Jeonghwa gulped, words coming out shaky, "But hell if my coaches cared. They cared more about my ability to play than my actual wellbeing."

Hyojin looked up to meet Jeonghwa's eye, surprised to hear that kind of language from her. "I'm sorry…"

Jeonghwa tried to force a smile, but her attempts failed. "I recovered. It's okay. My coaches and trainers didn't push me as hard after that, probably not out of concern for my health, but rather to make sure I could keep playing."

"It's still terrible that they pushed you to those extremes…" Hyojin shook her head shamefully.

"It was really hard to get back on the ice after that. I almost gave up on my dreams." Jeonghwa lowered her head, wringing her hands together.

Something connected in Hyojin's mind, and she couldn't hold back her curiosity in asking. "Is that why you don't fight?"

Jeonghwa nodded slowly. "Yeah. I don't want to get hurt, Hyojin… It was so scary to be in that much pain… That's why I panicked when Daisy got hurt so badly on the ice. I was reminded of me, back when I just started…"

Hyojin couldn't say anything in response to that; instead she just leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Jeonghwa, holding her tight. Jeonghwa closed her eyes and returned the embrace, letting Hyojin's presence calm her down.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Jeonghwa said after she was in Hyojin's arms for a little while, "And it's just a teeny, tiny scar. You can't notice it if you don't know to look for it. I'm fine."

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that…" Hyojin said, wrapping her arms around Jeonghwa a little tighter, "But I'm really glad Hyelin and the others were there for you…"

"Me too. They took real good care of me." Jeonghwa smiled faintly, "I got to return the favor too when Hani got injured during a match."

Hyojin pulled away, a curious and confused look on her face. "How do you get injured in curling?"

"It was a broken heart." Jeonghwa giggled.

Hyojin was still for a moment before she laughed too, finding the whole situation ridiculous. "Of course, what else could it be…"

Jeonghwa was able to smile a lot easier after that. "Enough about being sad… I wanna hear good stories! You kept talking about how hard it was as a trainee… but you're super successful now! How did you make it?!"

"It's not much of a story." Hyojin shrugged, glancing away with a small grin, "Yongguk and I formed a duo while we were underground, and eventually a composer and producer who went to one of our performances pulled us aside after the show. He offered me a position at his company and promised me a debut, which was something that my company wouldn't give me. His producing style was also similar to the type of music I like, and he said he would help me make my own music. I signed with his company right away. The one I was with before was more than happy to sign me away, too."

Jeonghwa grinned to hear the story as Hyojin told it, but something still left her curious by the end of it, though. "And what about Yongguk?"

"Yongguk's style and Shinsadong's style were vastly different… Yongguk declined his offer and stayed with our original company, but he was happy to see me finally get someplace in my career." Hyojin smiled to recall the memory.

"But… did he succeed too?" Jeonghwa asked with a concerned frown. She grew invested in the story and she didn't want to imagine Yongguk not making it.

Hyojin only laughed. "Does the boy group B.A.P ring a bell?"

Jeonghwa gasped. "Solji loves them!"

"Yongguk is the leader. He's doing quite well." Hyojin smiled widely.

"Thank goodness! Woah, it's so cool that you're good friends with idols like that… I wish I knew more idols!" Jeonghwa said, awe in her voice as she spoke.

Hyojin shrugged with a playful grin on her lips. "Maybe I can introduce you to some. But… yeah. I owe a lot to him. He helped me through a lot…"

It wasn't a story that she could share with Jeonghwa just yet, but Hyojin smiled faintly to remember the conversation she had with Yongguk one night…

* * *

_Hyojin had snuck Yongguk into her dorm so they could work on music together, Yongguk having offered to give Hyojin a few pointers in composing since he picked up a few tricks from some underground artists. While he initially only came over to teach Hyojin composing, they wound up working on lyrics together too, since it was nice to have someone else look over their work that was as experienced and invested in songwriting as they were._

_Hyojin admittedly found it hard to trust Yongguk with the lyrics, fearful of revealing her feelings with someone else. She feared he would ask questions, that he would judge, or that he just wouldn't understand. While Yongguk read her lyrics, Hyojin found it hard to focus on reading his. She was just too scared of Yongguk's reactions._

_Eventually Yongguk spoke up, and it was with an inquiry, much like Hyojin feared. "You must write these from experience. The emotion is just so raw and powerful to be manufactured…"_

" _I'm a good liar." Hyojin brushed his words off, averting her gaze._

" _You don't have to be afraid of admitting it." Yongguk lifted his gaze off of the paper drafts to look at Hyojin, "Lyrics are much stronger when they come from the heart. I can tell you lay your heart bare when you write, Elly."_

_Scratching at her neck, Hyojin quickly looked back at Yongguk but found herself unable to look for long. "And what of it?"_

_Yongguk shrugged, spinning a pen in his hand absentmindedly. "You seemed to have been a lot happier when you wrote these, but there was something holding you back from that happiness." Suddenly he stopped the pen as it was spinning, staring at Hyojin, "They were a friend, weren't they?"_

" _God, I hate having smart people for friends…" Hyojin muttered, frustrated to have been found out that quickly._

" _Did they read these lyrics?" Yongguk asked. His voice was gentle, merely curious._

_Hyojin just nodded. "Yeah."_

" _So you had the courage to admit what you felt?"_

_Hyojin fell silent, looking away again. "No, I didn't."_

_Yongguk furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "Shouldn't they have known by the lyrics, then?"_

" _She was a little stupid, okay?! She didn't know the lyrics were about her!" Hyojin snapped, crossing her arms and making a conscious effort to keep her eyes off Yongguk. Her angered expression vanished the second Hyojin realized she revealed the person she loved to have been a 'she.' She slowly looked back at Yongguk, suddenly very afraid to see his reaction, but to her surprise, he merely seemed saddened._

" _She must not be in your life anymore by the way you speak of her." He noted with a sad hum._

_Hyojin casted her gaze to the floor, clenching her jaw tightly. "I've made a few mistakes… I thought she'd be better off without me."_

" _Sure you're a little rough around the edges, but you seem like a great catch for anyone." Yongguk observed, "Why would she be better off without you?"_

_Hyojin only shrugged, finding it hard to come up with reasons. "I was a lot worse than just being rough around the edges when I met her. I was such a terrible friend… I made her believe I hated her because I was scared of becoming close to her. She was my first friend. I was scared that I had messed up by falling in love with her…so I ran. I figured she deserved someone better than me, someone who didn't hate loving her and who didn't try and convince her they hated her…"_

" _Do you regret it?" Yongguk clicked his pen as he asked, tilting his head, trying to get a read of Hyojin's expression._

_Wiping at her eyes, Hyojin tried to keep her expression out of view. She didn't want to seem weak in front of Yongguk by crying. "Every day… Every day I wish I just stayed."_

" _You can find her again, you know." Yongguk leaned forward in his chair, trying to get Hyojin to at least look at him, "You can make things right."_

" _Don't you think I've already thought of that?" Hyojin turned back to Yongguk, finally meeting his gaze, "I can sneak out of here past curfew to hang out with you, but I can't hunt her down if I'm trapped here like I am now. And if I'm going to be stuck as a trainee like this forever, I'll never be able to find her. I don't even know where to start looking for her…"_

" _Don't force these things, then. If it's meant to be, you'll find her again." Yongguk tilted his head._

" _I'd be afraid to face her…" Hyojin admitted. She hated how her eyes stung red with tears. It was never something she wanted Yongguk to see. She especially never wanted him to know just how stupidly, heartbrokenly in love she was with another girl._

" _Are you going to let fear rule you forever?" He asked, "That's how you lost her the first time, and you're willing to lose her a second time because of it too?"_

_Hyojin looked down and drew in a large breath, clenching her jaw tightly. Yongguk had a point, but Hyojin had trouble coming to terms with it, not when she was still so afraid._

_Seeing how Hyojin was still conflicted, Yongguk spoke up again. "Do you still love her?"_

_Hyojin let out a hollow laugh, suddenly feeling pathetic with herself. "I never stopped… Almost three years later, and I still love her as if I just saw her yesterday."_

" _Then she deserves to know, Hyojin." Yongguk leaned closer again, trying to look up at Hyojin to get her to meet his eye, "Don't you want to be happy with her, too?"_

" _I really wish I was still with her… Even if it's just as a friend, I was so happy with her… I miss it so badly." Hyojin let out a sigh, and she finally found the strength to meet Yongguk's gaze, and she was able to hold her ground enough to nod, "If I ever find her again, I'll tell her. I'll make it right."_

_Yongguk grinned to hear that from her, and he reached out to clap his hand over her shoulder. "That's it. Happiness is a much better color on you than heartbreak."_

_Hyojin couldn't help but laugh at his words as she wiped at her eyes again. "Shut up… I'll reopen that cut on your damn forehead and laugh at how you good you look in red."_

_Yongguk laughed loudly to hear her teasing, leaning back in his chair. "But it took you forever to fix that thing up! You can't just reopen it like that!"_

_Hyojin just grinned playfully. "Try me, Yongguk. Try me…"_

* * *

"If he helped you through your rough trainee period, then I'm glad he was there for you." Jeonghwa smiled, "I wanna meet him someday!"

"I'm sure he'd love to meet you…" Hyojin silently mused, grinning faintly to herself, "I'll introduce you, don't worry. He's heard a lot about you."

Jeonghwa laughed some. "Good things, I hope!"

"There's only good things to share." Hyojin said with a playful lilt to her voice. She turned on the couch so she could rest against the back cushions, resting her arms behind her head.

"Stooop…" Jeonghwa whined, letting out a bashful giggle and swatting Hyojin in the arm, "You're just saying that! I know I have faults!"

Hyojin just shrugged, a ghost of a grin still on her lips. "Even the bad parts are still charming in their own right."

"Yeah?" Jeonghwa huffed, "Prove it."

Rolling her eyes, Hyojin shook her head and laughed under her breath. "Even though you're pretty dumb and clueless at times, it's pretty cute."

Jeonghwa rubbed the back of her neck from fluster. "You think so?" She asked with a hopeful voice, though the entirety of Hyojin's words caught up to her, not just the 'cute' part, "Wait- hey!"

Hyojin could only laugh to hear Jeonghwa's reaction. "See? That's exactly it!"

Jeonghwa pouted her lips and crossed her arms, looking upset. "I'm not  _that_  dumb."

"Nah, I just give you a hard time. It's fun." Hyojin grinned widely, and she reached out to pinch Jeonghwa's cheek.

Jeonghwa scrunched her nose and tried to seem mad at Hyojin for her comments, but she couldn't suppress a laugh seeing Hyojin so full of smiles. She'd take the insults to see her smile like that. "Okay, fine… I have my moments."

Hyojin pursed her lips, pretending to give Jeonghwa's words some thought before she looked back at her with a mischievous look. "Mm… You have a lot."

"Now you're just being mean." Jeonghwa pushed Hyojin's side with a frown.

"Sorry, sorry…" Hyojin swayed after getting pushed, "Gah, don't shove me… I'm too tired and old for roughhousing."

"I'm too tired and too sore for roughhousing…" Jeonghwa let out a sigh and moved so that she was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Hyojin on the couch, leaning back into the cushions and getting herself situated.

"When did we get so old…?" Hyojin muttered as she adjusted how she sat when Jeonghwa moved next to her. She rested her head on Jeonghwa's shoulder, and she linked her arm with Jeonghwa's.

Jeonghwa shrugged lazily. "Probably in those seven years…"

"I think I need an afternoon nap…" Hyojin whined, and she felt the need to suppress a yawn.

Jeonghwa glanced at Hyojin and nudged her to get her to snap out of it. "Nooo, we're not  _that_  old yet!" She insisted, even though seeing Hyojin yawn made her need to yawn too. "We just… We just need to get the energy back up!" She nodded vigorously at her own idea, and she searched Hyojin to try and find her phone, patting her pockets.

Hyojin just closed her eyes and groaned when Jeonghwa got a second wind, and she kicked and turned when Jeonghwa started to search her in protest. "Get off me!"

"Where's your phone?" Jeonghwa asked when she got shoved off.

Leaning forward, Hyojin reached out for her phone on the table and grabbed it for Jeonghwa, but Jeonghwa immediately lurched forward to snatch the phone as soon as Hyojin grabbed it, and she didn't move from off Hyojin's lap after doing so. Hyojin just pressed a hand to her forehead in exasperation. "What are you doing…? I thought I said no roughhousing!"

"Your phone is still hooked up to the bluetooth speakers in the room, right?" Jeonghwa had to guess Hyojin's passcode to unlock her phone, and she was pleasantly surprised when '0000' got her in. "Wow! That's my passcode too! What are the odds!"

"I'm lazy and you're stupid, it only makes sense we chose the same passcode." Hyojin said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

As if to prove Hyojin's point, that comment went right over Jeonghwa's head. "Ooo, I can read all of your text messages right now… Or I could call any idol I wanted! Knowing your passcode is fun!"

"Hey!" Hyojin shouted, reaching for her phone so Jeonghwa wouldn't get any ideas.

Jeonghwa merely smiled deviously to herself, snickering under her breath as she held the phone as far away from Hyojin as possible and as she kept pushing Hyojin away. "Let's see who all is on here…"

"Jeonghwa, no!" Hyojin slipped an arm around Jeonghwa's neck in a headlock, using her other to grab at her phone.

Jeonghwa couldn't keep up the devious ruse for long, and she bursted out laughing when Hyojin tried strangling her. "Okay, okay! I'm bluffing! I just wanna put some music on!"

While Hyojin stopped moving and actively trying to strangle Jeonghwa, she didn't remove her arm from around Jeonghwa's neck. She just looked at Jeonghwa with narrowed, suspicious eyes. "I don't quite trust you."

Jeonghwa frowned with pleading, sad eyes. "You don't?"

Hyojin tried to maintain a neutral expression, but she faltered to see Jeonghwa pulling those eyes on her. "...Just put on the music, Jeonghwa."

Jeonghwa giggled and found a playlist of new hits, pressing play and letting the music fill the room by the speakers. She pushed herself off of Hyojin and off of the couch, moving towards an empty spot of the living room and extending her hand out for Hyojin to join her with a wide, eager grin on her face. "Come on!"

Hyojin sat up some, but otherwise looked hesitant in joining Jeonghwa in dancing. "Weren't we  _just_  talking about how tired and everything we were, like, five minutes ago?"

"That was before we put music on!" Jeonghwa still smiled, and she bounced up and down some to the beat of the music to try and get Hyojin to join her, "And you can't use the excuse that you don't dance anymore! Because I know you're a dancer now!"

Hyojin smiled faintly at that, slowly pushing herself off the couch and stretching a bit. "That's the only part of you knowing the whole idol gig that I find regrettable…" She teased, joining Jeonghwa's side and crossing her arms.

"You're a really good dancer." Jeonghwa grinned, "I can't believe you were hiding that from me all this time!"

"I wasn't exactly hiding it, Jeonghwa." Hyojin laughed to herself, "I wasn't very good at it until I was a trainee."

"Oh." Jeonghwa blinked, "Well, you're still really good!"

"Shut up." Hyojin said with a playful roll of her eyes. She looked Jeonghwa over and lifted her chin, grinning teasingly, "Why aren't you dancing? I thought that was your whole goal in getting me off the couch."

Jeonghwa prodded her fingertips together and pursed her lips, embarrassed to say. "...I don't know this part, so I'm waiting for the part I know."

As if to rub salt in the wound, Hyojin began dancing, perfectly following along to the choreography with a surprised, yet playful expression on her face. "You don't know this? Really?"

"Wait, wait!" Jeonghwa tried to copy Hyojin's moves but she was five steps behind and she couldn't remember all the movements, "Aish, stop mocking me!"

"I'm not doing anything!" Hyojin just laughed, absolutely delighted to see Jeonghwa try and fail to follow along, "I'm just dancing! Like you asked me to!"

Jeonghwa huffed and stomped her foot, feeling heat rising to her cheeks in fluster. She could tell Hyojin was showing off too by how she actually put effort into the moves, and Jeonghwa just felt like a fool. She couldn't even properly enjoy Hyojin dancing to the slowed-down, sexy parts to the song, because that was one of the few parts Jeonghwa knew, so she had to upstage Hyojin no matter what. Jeonghwa even kneeled on the ground like the true choreography called for, and seeing Jeonghwa try so hard just made Hyojin burst into laughter, holding her stomach and pausing her dance.

"Maybe you should've auditioned to be an idol like me!" Hyojin said in between bouts of loud laughter, "We could've been in a group together if you were this determined to be a better dancer!"

"Stop mocking me!" Jeonghwa growled, though she couldn't be mad for long because of how thoroughly Hyojin was enjoying herself and laughing. She couldn't remember a time when she could get Hyojin to be so childish and playful, messing around with Jeonghwa without an ounce of restraint. It brought a smile to Jeonghwa's lips to see how much Hyojin changed. She could never get Hyojin to be so carefree as kids…

"You make it too easy, Jeonghwa." Hyojin finally calmed down from laughing, though Jeonghwa could see how Hyojin was pressing her lips firmly together to suppress more laughter.

Jeonghwa just smiled warmly, noticing how hot her face felt the more she looked at Hyojin and her smile. She could take the teasing if it meant being able to see that full, unabashed grin on Hyojin's lips more often. "You just like mocking me."

Hyojin tilted her head and shrugged easily. "It means I like you."

Ducking her head out of view, Jeonghwa let out a flustered giggle, trying to ignore that feeling that surfaced in her chest to hear those words. Fortunately she found a way to cover up her embarrassment, which came in the form of the song's chorus kicking in, and Jeonghwa immediately fell in line with the rhythm of the dance. "Finally! I know this part!"

Hyojin only playfully rolled her eyes and joined in, moving much lazier and easily than before. "I'm so proud." She teased, an amused lilt to her voice.

That sarcasm wasn't lost on Jeonghwa, and she just forced a grin and brushed it off, losing herself to the dancing again. "I was hoping you would be."

* * *

For a few more songs, the two of them danced together, laughing at each other's movements or finding some other way to enjoy the moment. During one song, a cuter, innocent song, Hyojin had to take a break and lay down on the couch to recover from the "strenuous physical activity," or so she told Jeonghwa. Jeonghwa figured that was half true, and half Hyojin not wanting to dance to anything cute. She couldn't blame Hyojin though. She was old and tired and not normally cute, save for a few exceptional moments around her, Jeonghwa realized…

The music of one song died down, instead transitioning into something much softer and slower, and Jeonghwa turned to Hyojin, who was sitting on the couch, a question on her tongue. Yet before she could ask it, Hyojin uncrossed her legs and stood up, moving to stand beside Jeonghwa.

"The full dance experience, right?" Hyojin offered a smile, resting her hands on Jeonghwa's shoulders and stepping closer.

Jeonghwa smiled hesitantly, wrapping her arms around Hyojin's waist and swaying to the music. "Just like old times."

Hyojin hummed to that, letting herself sway in time to Jeonghwa's movements. "Did you ever go to your senior dance?" She asked curiously, yet her voice remained soft.

"I did. You know, I kind of wasn't planning to, but I got asked at the last minute…" Jeonghwa smiled faintly at the memory, "Do you remember that one guy you almost got into a fight with?"

Hyojin paused, glancing upwards to try and remember. "You're going to have to be more specific… There's a few of those."

Jeonghwa laughed softly to hear that. "The guy you got into a fight over your notebook, and I had to chase you down to give it back to you. It's how we became friends, remember?"

The memory made Hyojin smile fondly, and she was easily able to remember who Jeonghwa was talking about from how much she remembered from that day. It was a day Hyojin never wanted to forget. "Right, him… He really asked you out?" She asked, acutely aware of how the jealousy she tried to hide still bled into her tone.

Jeonghwa nodded. "Sunho even apologized for how he acted before, and he seemed really sweet… I went to the dance with him and a mix of our friends. It wasn't that bad actually."

"Did you get that dream slow dance with him?" Hyojin's voice was a little weak, and she was a bit afraid to hear the response. Yet, part of her still thought that Jeonghwa's dream of her first real slow dance was awfully cute…

"Not quite…" Jeonghwa said quietly, glancing away and letting out a soft breath, "I had a slow dance with him, sure, but… I don't know. It didn't feel right. I didn't try and kiss him or anything. It didn't feel as magical as I expected it to be."

Hyojin frowned despite how she was secretly glad to hear that nothing happened between the two of them. "I'm sorry…" She whispered, "I know you were really looking forward to it."

"It's strange, actually…" Jeonghwa laughed faintly, though she was unable to meet Hyojin's eye, "It felt more right with you than it did with him."

Hyojin's eyes widened and her body tensed to hear Jeonghwa admit that, and she swore just hearing those words took her breath away. An odd feeling started to stir within her chest, and Hyojin stepped a little closer, the way she looked at Jeonghwa becoming more scrutinous, Hyojin trying to read more of Jeonghwa's actions. "If it makes you feel any better…" Hyojin began, flashing a smile despite her nerves, "I didn't get that magical slow dance kiss either."

"You didn't?" Jeonghwa asked, a little saddened to hear it.

Hyojin laughed softly and shrugged her shoulders. "That doesn't mean I didn't try, though. It just… didn't work out the way I planned."

Jeonghwa furrowed her eyebrows, intrigued. "What happened?"

"As the song went on, I tried to build up my courage, because I was dancing with a friend, and I didn't want to ruin everything by doing something I couldn't take back…" Hyojin admitted softly, letting out a quiet sigh, "I was scared of rejection, but the more I danced and the more we talked, I finally didn't feel that fear anymore."

Jeonghwa leaned into Hyojin more as she retold the story, shifting her weight off one leg and letting Hyojin support her. Her eyes were wide from intrigue, and she was invested in the story as Hyojin told it. "Yeah…? What happened next?"

Hyojin had to pause, wetting her lips and trying to calm herself enough to continue telling the story. "So I tried to kiss my friend, right? I thought I was being kinda obvious about it too, what with putting my hand on their cheek and everything and leaning in slowly… But they were blissfully unaware. They slipped right out of my arms a mere second before I could kiss them, entirely clueless that I had even tried."

Jeonghwa's shoulders sagged to hear such an unfortunate end to the story, and she frowned slightly. "Your friend sounds like an idiot. Who wouldn't notice signals as strong as those?"

"Hey, don't say that." Hyojin couldn't hide her grin to hear Jeonghwa talking about herself like that, "They were a little slow on the uptake, that's all. It's kind of cute, how clueless and oblivious they are…"

"It's just so disappointing!" Jeonghwa pouted her lips, "They took that beautiful moment from you just because they were too blind to see the signals right in front of them."

"They never really got my signals, no matter how damn obvious I ended up being…" Hyojin could only shake her head fondly, laughing under her breath. She stood up a little straighter and met Jeonghwa's eye, a ghost of a grin still on her lips, "But it's okay. I learned my lesson from it."

Jeonghwa couldn't quite understand what Hyojin was referring to by 'lesson.' "Which is…?"

Hyojin tilted her head, her smile growing as she moved her hands from Jeonghwa's shoulders, resting them on each side of Jeonghwa's face. "I have to use both hands to make sure she doesn't escape again…" She hummed, letting her eyes fall shut as she leaned forward, finding the courage to finally press her lips softly against Jeonghwa's, refusing to let the opportunity slip past her once more.

Jeonghwa furrowed her eyebrows at how cryptic Hyojin sounded saying that, and she was full of questions until Hyojin kissed her, and suddenly Jeonghwa no longer felt so confused anymore. A warmth spread through her chest to have Hyojin's lips upon her, and Jeonghwa closed her eyes and leaned into Hyojin, wrapping her arms tighter around Hyojin's waist. She could feel every ounce of emotion Hyojin poured into that kiss, and it illuminated Jeonghwa's mind, making everything so clear for her to see.

Hyojin slowly pulled away before long, lingering in Jeonghwa's space as she did so, not wanting to move too far apart from her. She opened her eyes, and while she felt fairly confident going into the kiss, there was still a remnant of fear inside her, and she had to see Jeonghwa's reaction for herself.

Jeonghwa's eyes gradually fluttered open after Hyojin pulled away, and her expression was stunned to say the very least, everything falling into place in her mind. "I went to change the song…" She whispered, the memories flooding back to her of their first dance.

"I almost fell over because you slipped out of my arms when I tried to kiss you, y'know." Hyojin teased, "You were so clueless."

"I mean…" Jeonghwa furrowed her eyebrows, "I was a little confused as to what you were doing since I knew it wasn't exactly right, but… yeah. I had no idea…" She let out a flustered laugh, averting her gaze from Hyojin, "Using both hands was definitely a valuable lesson to take from that, I guess…"

Hyojin just nodded to that, and she clenched her jaw and stood up straighter as she watched Jeonghwa. She didn't know if this was the type of reaction she wanted from Jeonghwa, and she still couldn't quite place how Jeonghwa felt about everything. She could only read how Jeonghwa was still thinking, still piecing everything together in her mind to try and understand.

Eventually Jeonghwa turned her head back to Hyojin, raising an eyebrow, still confused. "But… you really tried to kiss me when we danced all those years ago?"

Hyojin nodded slowly. "It was the only time I felt brave enough to try, because you told me I shouldn't fear rejection from a friend." She fell silent and let out a heavy exhale, steeling herself for what she was about to say, "I guess I can't hide it from you any longer, huh?" She laughed weakly, still trying to pool together her courage, "I love you, Jeonghwa."

"I love you too, Hyojin." Jeonghwa said easily, no ounce of hesitation at all, "You're my best friend. Of course I love you!"

Hyojin laughed again, though it carried more feeling this time. It wasn't surprising that Jeonghwa didn't understand immediately, but it also made what Hyojin had to admit a little harder to say. "No, that isn't quite what I meant. I'm  _in_  love with you, Jeonghwa… I've been in love with you ever since we were kids. That's why I tried to kiss you that night. I finally felt brave enough to show you how I felt, but when you broke away, I gave up trying to tell you."

Jeonghwa took a step back from Hyojin, pulling her arms away and looking at Hyojin with furrowed eyebrows and a skeptical look. "I don't… I don't understand."

Hyojin drew in a sharp breath, feeling her chest constrict at how Jeonghwa was acting. "What do you want me to say?"

"If you were in love with me, then why did you leave me for all those years…" Jeonghwa took another step back as she spoke, her voice coming out shaky from her nerves and from how upset she was becoming, "It doesn't make any sense…!"

Clenching her jaw, Hyojin lowered her head and balled her fists tightly, closing her eyes from shame. "Jeonghwa… I know, I know how it sounds… but please, you have to let me explain."

Jeonghwa placed a hand over her face and turned away, unable to look at Hyojin. "I could forgive my best friend leaving me for seven years… but knowing that you loved me and still chose to abandon me… I don't understand it at all, Hyojin… What did I do to you to make you leave?"

Hyojin squeezed her eyes shut to hear the heartbreak and sadness in Jeonghwa's tone, and she looked up to see how Jeonghwa was standing with her back to her, her head hung, her hands over her eyes. Hesitantly Hyojin stepped closer, and she placed a hand on Jeonghwa's shoulder, joining her side. Jeonghwa didn't shake her off, but she still turned her head away from Hyojin, not wanting her to see her expression.

"You didn't do anything, Jeonghwa. It was all me…" Hyojin admitted, squeezing Jeonghwa's shoulder, "I was so scared, Jeonghwa… I thought I had messed up by falling in love with my first and only friend. I thought I was doing something wrong, and I was scared of becoming closer with you and having you find out and hate me for it. I ran away because I was scared. It was nothing you did, I promise…"

Jeonghwa finally turned to face Hyojin, and to Hyojin's dismay, Jeonghwa's expression was not assuaged by Hyojin's words. "You thought loving me was a mistake? Did you hate loving me so much that you left?"

"No, Jeonghwa-" Hyojin let out a defeated sigh, upset that no matter how hard she tried, everything she said turned out to be worded so poorly, "I didn't hate loving you… You made me so happy. You still make me so, so happy… even just as a friend. I hated how afraid I was of loving you openly. It was never you that was the problem… I was only upset with myself for being so afraid… I thought you would be better off without someone like me, who was so afraid to love you, who only treated you so terribly…"

Jeonghwa swallowed harshly and looked away again, and Hyojin was afraid that she managed to find another way to hurt Jeonghwa with her words, but to her surprise, Jeonghwa just reached up to hold Hyojin's hand on her shoulder. She couldn't bring herself to look at Hyojin, but her expression softened considerably. She was no longer upset, but she was just saddened to hear Hyojin's side of things.

"I could never be better off without you, Hyojin." Jeonghwa whispered, squeezing Hyojin's hand.

Hyojin drew in a breath when she felt Jeonghwa's hand over hers, and it finally reassured Hyojin that she could fix this. "I'm not scared anymore, though. I don't want to keep running away. I lost you once and it was the biggest mistake I ever made… I won't blow my second chance. I can't lose my best friend again."

"I've made and lost friends before, some who I knew far longer than I knew you, but even compared to those friends I lost before and after I met you, none of them hurt me as much as losing you did." Jeonghwa admitted softly, turning to face Hyojin, her eyes reddened from tears threatening to fall, "At first I never understood why I was so upset to lose you… You weren't the first and you weren't the last friend I lost. But… I realized while here with you at Pyeongchang what made you so special back then." Jeonghwa had to stop for a moment to gather herself, and she squeezed Hyojin's hand again before she finally said it, "I was in love with you too."

Hyojin's eyes widened and she felt her lips part from surprise. Of all the reactions she expected to hear from Jeonghwa, she never expected to hear those words back. But there was something about the way Jeonghwa said it, something that worried Hyojin. "You…  _were_ in love with me…?"

Jeonghwa rolled her eyes and shook her head with a faint laugh, seeing what Hyojin was practically begging her to say. "I  _am_ in love with you, Hyojin. There. In the present tense." She had to stop and glance away, "That… That's present tense, right? Yeah. Present tense. Whatever. I love you right now."

Slowly Hyojin let herself laugh at that, closing her eyes and turning her head away to hide her smile. "That  _is_  the present tense, Jeonghwa. Good job."

"Thank you. I only got a D in grammar." Jeonghwa giggled softly, though she inhaled sharply to compose herself before she continued, "It only took me until now to realize it, but that's the only explanation for how heartbroken I was that you left, and it's the only explanation for how I've felt for you ever since I saw you again. I was scared too, because I was so attracted to you, Hyojin… It's why that night after my semi-finals match was so scary for me, because I wanted you so badly but I didn't want to lose you as a friend if things went wrong if I stayed… I never felt that way towards you before, and suddenly I saw my feelings for you changing so quickly while I spent more time with you here at Pyeongchang. Or maybe only now I can actually kind of understand how I loved you… There's no way I could have processed all this as a kid." Jeonghwa flashed a brief smile, "I'm still a little clueless, but I'm not  _as_  dumb as I used to be."

Hyojin reached out to rest her hand on Jeonghwa's cheek, smiling faintly as she did so. She looked Jeonghwa over, relieved to see Jeonghwa calming down from nearly being on the verge of tears before. "You always did send me such mixed signals as kids… You still do even now, but much more so as kids. I was always afraid of looking too far into it because I didn't want to get hurt."

Jeonghwa just shrugged and glanced away. "You probably would've understood my feelings better than I did back then…" She said jokingly, grinning some as she spoke, "I'm sorry for scaring you away and making you think that I would reject you so harshly if you told me that you loved me… I can't promise that I would've been with you considering how clueless I was about how I felt back then, but I wouldn't have hated you at all." She laughed again, "It would've reassured me that you didn't hate my guts for our whole friendship, at least!"

Hyojin playfully winced at those words. "Ouch… And I'm sorry I kept trying to make you think I hated you. I was an idiot back then… That was the only way I knew how to react to figuring out that I loved you."

"I can't hate you too much for it…" Jeonghwa shrugged, "It is pretty scary to be in love, isn't it?"

"Terrifying." Hyojin merely tilted her head, a warm look on her face as she looked Jeonghwa over, "But if you're in love with the right person, then you shouldn't be so afraid."

"I'm not afraid." Jeonghwa said with a hint of a smile to her lips, wrapping her arms around Hyojin's waist.

Hyojin smiled too, running her thumb over Jeonghwa's cheek. "Neither am I."

Hyojin took a step closer, but she was stopped by Jeonghwa suddenly putting a hand between their faces before breaking out of Hyojin's arms to find her phone. It was Hyojin's fault for not using both hands again…

"Hey…" Hyojin pursed her lips in a pout, "I thought we were having a moment."

"We were." Jeonghwa said, scrolling through Hyojin's phone and biting her lip with an eager smile, "I'm finding another slow song. I want my dream kiss."

Hyojin threw her arms out to her sides in protest. "I already gave you one!"

Jeonghwa finally found another song and she set her phone down, running back to Hyojin's side with a silly grin on her face. "No, that was  _your_  dream kiss. Don't you remember your little speech? It's  _my_ turn now!"

Playfully rolling her eyes, Hyojin draped her arms over Jeonghwa's shoulders, a ghost of a grin on her lips. "Semantics…"

Suddenly Jeonghwa's expression turned entirely serious as she looked at Hyojin, unwavering in her resolve to get her dream kiss. "This isn't a game, Hyojin. I'm getting what's mine."

Hyojin just blinked to hear Jeonghwa be so authoritative, but she couldn't stay surprised for long until she broke out into a laugh, leaning forward to rest her forehead against Jeonghwa's. "Alright… But don't we have to wait for the song to be almost over, right? That was one of your rules for your dream kiss…"

Jeonghwa smiled and closed her eyes to rest her forehead against Hyojin's, but hearing Hyojin's words suddenly made Jeonghwa freeze and caused her eyes to shoot wide open. "W… Well…" Jeonghwa stammered, pulling away to meet Hyojin's gaze with a sheepish grin, "We don't have to follow  _all_  the rules, I guess…"

"You're so lucky I love you, Jeonghwa…" Hyojin shook her head fondly, "You're ridiculous."

"No,  _you're_  so lucky I love  _you_." Jeonghwa poked Hyojin's chest with her finger on every accented syllable, frowning, "You're a jerk."

"Hey." Hyojin blinked innocently, playing hurt by Jeonghwa's words, "You're hurting my feelings."

Jeonghwa just giggled to that, stepping closer to Hyojin so that their bodies were pressed together. "What, do you need me to kiss it to make it better?"

"I'm not allowed to do anything. It's  _your_  dream kiss." Hyojin teased with a grin as she laughed under her breath.

"I was right…" Jeonghwa began, sliding her hand up from Hyojin's waist to rest on the back of her neck, "It does feel more right with you…"

There was a wide grin on Jeonghwa's face when she pulled Hyojin closer, letting her eyes fall closed as she rejoined their lips, finally getting the dream kiss with Hyojin she had been waiting for ever since laying eyes on her again.

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: haseulhae  
> tumblr: miirotic  
> curiouscat: veLEvet


End file.
